Valhalla Romance: Cryptical
by ZeroXSEED
Summary: "You ever closed your eyes, took a nap, and woke up to find the world unexpectedly changed?" Finding himself waking up in a world that resemble the one he knew but wasn't really the same, Hikigaya Hachiman felt that sentence is a good description for his crisis, and something is going on with Yuigahama Yui too.
1. Chapter 1

"The definition of insanity - doing the same things over and over again and expecting a different result." A quote often misattributed to Einstein but originated from Al-Anon, international fellowships offering support for families of recovering alcoholics.

Rather than anything remotely scientific, this quote refers to the alcoholics who keep coming back expecting they won't regain their addiction to the booze.

"Weird flex but okay." Hachiman threw the magazine aside to the table. "But if you think of it, youth is just the same thing, people going with the flow, doing the same mistake all over again and brush it off, thinking things will improve eventually while in reality, they didn't learn anything from their misfortune."

Now, what should he do with all the amazing free time he got at hand? Hikigaya Hachiman wasn't an exceptionally studious person at heart, but being a loner, he had a lot of free time to study out of boredom and ended up completing his summer homework early.

After the summer club activity, he more or less has done with all of his obligations, and now, his family also left to visit relatives. It might not be absolute freedom, but close enough.

He shall enjoy this week in pure, wholehearted lonesome.

He heard the bell rings and wondered if it's some salesman or someone sending mails and packets, so he pushed the intercom.

"Who is it?"

He saw a familiar face on the screen. "Yahallo, Hikki, it's me."

Ah.

The image of a cute, beautiful girl with a rounded cheek and a happy smile shows up on the intercom screen. "Yuigahama?"

He opened the door to let her in.

"What's the occasion?" He asked rather suspiciously, he didn't even receive her mail telling him of her arrival.

"Yeah, the truth is that Komachi-chan called me." She giddily told him, "I got a request from Komachi-chan to take care of you, can you let me in?"

"HA?"

In less than three hours, Hikigaya Hachiman's paradise of solitude crumbled apart. And the primary cause of that was none other than his beloved little sister.

"Yuigahama, did you dye your hair?" He asked.

Though her usual reddish-brown dyed hair wasn't exactly well hidden, dyeing your hair pink is a bit too much. Does Soubu's already loose regulation even allow that kind of garish color?

"Did you just woke up?" She laughed, "My hair always been like this, well, perhaps not the first time we meet though."

It's true that originally, Yuigahama Yui has a darker shade of brown as natural hair color, that must be what, one and a half years ago? As a matter of fact, among the reason why Hachiman unable to recognize the identity of the 'dog girl' was that.

Still, her new hair color certainly wasn't pink, also her eyes... wait, ocean blue eyes?! Did she wear a contact lens too?

Weird.

"Hikki, have you finished your homework?"

"Of course."

"I've finished mine too, but do you mind if we compare?" Yui happily shows up the massive bag of books in her hand.

_Heh, didn't expect her to finish it this early in the vacation either._ Never saw her as a studious type, Hachiman admit. But it's probably Yukinoshita's influence finally rubbing on her.

"Sure.

Still for someone in summer vacation... didn't Yui look rather whiter than before? Logically speaking even indoor loving people often get slightly tan unless they wear sunblock all the time, and Hachiman isn't an exception.

For some reason though Hachiman felt that his homework book had increased in number. Why? Aside from the mandatory 5 subjects, there are also these weird books titled 'Trans-Phase Energy Foundation' and 'Space-Time intersection theory' and so on.

"What the hell is this shit?"

When Hachiman began reading them, he felt like he got some understanding, but not sure how. It's like something you know but forgot for some time, and it's weird because Hachiman was sure he doesn't have these things subjects of his school.

Did Yuigahama came and pranked him by adding these books?

"Everyone won't show up and say 'Gotcha' right?" He suddenly asked.

Maybe some people tried to celebrate his underwhelming birthday party by sending him these books as a joke?

"What are you asking, Hikki, this is your home!"

That's true if there are intruders he would know since he had been in the living room for a good few hours.

"Weird."

Hachiman kept engrossed reading the extra book, which sounded like it was straight out of science fiction, but when he checked there are tons of citations and footnotes under it.

He pulled his phones and browsed the name of cited books, articles, and papers and found most of them exist. Something is not right. Book pranks are a thing but internet spoofing is another, was there a virus planted in his phone or...

Little by little, his paranoia starts to get real.

"Am I hallucinating?"

Regardless of that, he managed to discuss most of the homework topic with Yuigahama, he did notice the fact that Yui sitting increasingly closer and closer, seemingly have no sense of personal space. That's why he kept sliding away by the inches because her shoulders keep touching. He wouldn't call that uncomfortable, but it's almost disconcerting.

"It looks like I've done it properly at least." She finally gave up and moved away, Hachiman did notice a slight glimpse of sadness on her face. "Do you mind if I practiced a little?"

Practice? What practice.

"Sure?"

With a resigned smile, she walked away and picked something out of her bag. A bundle? A bundle that she immediately unrolled to reveal...

Tactical knives.

Hachiman wasn't enough of a military otaku to know which model from which country, but he played enough games to know one when he saw one. With an almost oval-like handle made of rubber and the thick and rugged blade, it's 100% certain those are military knives or at least inspired by them.

...why would Yuigahama Yui have a bundle of tactical knives?

"I'm going over here," Yui said as she took a distance from Hachiman and lightly threw the knives in the air, her eyes began to glow pale blue light and the knives floated.

_What the hell?_

"Umm, Yuigahama is that some sort of magic trick or what?"

"Hikki you ARE half-sleeping after all, you need to rest." She pouted cutely, but even then, seeing tactical knives floating around her like this cancel everything.

He sighed, "Fuck, I'll make some coffee. Do you want to drink something?"

"Ah, I'll just make it for you instead!" Yui smiled and then go for the kitchen, which is attached to the large, luxurious living room they're in.

"..."

Sure he slept late again today because of too much gaming, but there's no way he's lacking to the point of hallucination right? So he decided to head for the sink and washed his face.

Then he saw in the mirror.

Very dark blue hair and... golden eyes?

It was unmistakably his face, everything is about the same as remember, but his fairly normal dark brown eyes and natural black hair were gone without him knowing.

Even his eyebrows and eyelashes.

_What the hell?_

In desperation, he stretched open his eyelid and then, after making sure his finger was clean, he tries to touch his iris. The minor prickle told him it wasn't a contact lens, at all.

"Ow."

Pain, this isn't a dream... then what? Hair can be dyed to a different color, but what about eyes?! What happened to him?

For someone like Hikigaya Hachiman, there's nothing more terrifying than the unknown.

With footing that's increasingly shaky, Hachiman pressed himself to get out of the bathroom, his face was pale and sweats like it was raining.

_What?_

_Why?_

_How?_

Plagued by so many questions, Hachiman dragged himself out of the bathroom. So many questions, his head felt hurt.

And then he heard a loud pop as his right leg fell off, leaving a stump under the knee.

"Hikki?"

His eyes become a little blurry, but he could still see most of her facial features easily. She's also holding a strange book with thick, black leather cover covered by strange sigils.

"I don't understand." Hachiman groaned, "I don't understand."

"Hikki?!" Yuigahama hurriedly catch up to her and hold onto him to prevent him from falling, "What is it? Are you sick?"

"I think I have a mild fever," Hachiman told her as he gave out a pained smile.

* * *

**ヴァルハラロマンス ****\- ****不可解**  
**Valhalla Romance - Cryptical**

Original Story by: Watari Wataru  
Written by: ZeroXSEED

* * *

**Chapter 1 - And so, his peaceful, idyllic life is gone (Part 1)**

* * *

It was a sketchy dream, he felt. Everything so dark and blurry, all he could see was chaos and confusion, with so many loud noises and voices he couldn't discern any of them.

All he knew was the presence of dark brown haired Yui desperately holding onto him with tears on her face, and a barking sausage dog beside her. Sable wasn't it?

_Ah..._

_This must have been the scenes of accidents back then._

...Wait what's that giant shadowy demon behind Yui? And why did Hiratsuka-sensei punched it?

Hachiman opened his eyes and groaned, his face completely damp from cold sweats.

"You're awake yet?"

Hachiman looked aside to find a familiar yet different person sitting at his bedside.

She resembles Hiratsuka a lot, but between her face and her body, it was pretty obvious that this person was much younger, probably around his age.

"...who the hell are you?" He asked.

Her face in response to his question was that of horror and confusion, "What kind of joke is that?

"No, not in the slightest." He told her, "Then again my mind is in disarray. Also, my leg..."

"This?" She raised his detached leg, "You probably forgot to charge it, hence it popped off."

She popped it in and Hachiman suddenly felt his leg again, like it never goes missing in the first place.

"Well isn't that a conveniently advanced prosthetic." He jibed.

Hachiman was sure that the prosthetic he remembered existing isn't this advanced, not even the most advanced stuff that costs tens of millions of yen. While they can respond to the nerve system, they don't give precise and realistic feedback as real limbs do.

"Where is Yuigahama?"

"Took a nap after she cleaned the living room and taking care of you." The girl said, "But seriously though, you didn't remember me at all? How come?"

"No, I don't even remember missing my leg like this." Hachiman said, "When did it happen?"

"One and half a year ago before the entrance ceremony." She told him with a childish grin, "The incident that gave birth to me."

"I don't remember that at all." Hachiman sighed, "And this world no longer makes sense to me."

"Tell me anyway."

"For a starter, what is Trans-Phase Energy?"

Hachiman did notice these words seem to be the most prevalent when he searched the topic of his homework on the internet.

"Trans-Phase energy is an energy that permeates the boundary between dimensions and can be harnessed to manipulate reality as we see fit." She said as she opened her palm and then closed it again, with a blade made of black light spring up, in similar shape to a Japanese wooden sword. "You're one of the select few human beings that can use it too."

"I can?" Hachiman twitched.

"Yeah, try to focus on your internal energy and pick something out of your pocket space."

"Pocket space..."

Hachiman closed his eyes and concentrate, feeling a strange cold and hot sensation creeping all over his body until it reached the tips of his fingers.

And he extended his hand inside a portal and pulled out a...

Gun?

"What the hell?"

Hachiman instinctively felt something off and despite remembering correctly that he never handled a gun before, somehow easily handled it and then unload it safely to the last round in the chamber.

"It's a real gun." He said as he looked at the last round closely.

"Of course it is." She chuckled, "...Are you amnesiac or what?"

"Maybe I am, why am I holding a Gun and why is it in my pocket space again?"

"You're a student of Soubu Specialist Municipal High, almost everyone there is armed to the teeth. If anything, your power is relatively mundane and underwhelming."

The ability to store large objects in a pocket space is underwhelming?!

"..."

Hachiman remembered the dream once again, the giant shadowy figure behind the image of crying Yuigahama Yui... was that the 'enemy' he supposed to fight, and took away his leg?

"You're completely clueless huh." She looked rather dejected, "You don't even remember your abilities, and yet you remember Yuigahama."

"Why wouldn't I? Speaking of which, her pink hair..."

"Ahh, that? That's the effect of her overstraining her TPE, her hair turned pink over a year of training." She laughed.

"I see..."

Hachiman wasn't sure what to think anymore.

This is not a dream, that much he's certain. The fact that his lower right leg missing and his hair and eyes changed also a fact, and now, this solid piece of firearms in his hand...

Denying reality was never his best forte.

So he reloaded the gun but kept the safety off, and then focus again to throw your gun into the pocket space, away from your sight.

"Speaking of which, who are you?"

"Me? My name is I.B." She squeezed her eyes mischievously as she pushed him down to the bed, "You might not remember but I'm your girlfriend."

_Nope._

_What the hell._

In all honesty, Hachiman wouldn't mind if that's the case. This girl is really beautiful and sexy and sounds like someone who is fun to talk with either way. No, the fact that she looks like Hiratsuka-sensei is irrelevant!

"That's too good to be true." He huffed after he finally came to his senses. "I'm kinda hurt a little though."

"Sheesh, you're too easy to tease." She cringed at him, clearly felt bad a little. "Sorry but I'm not your girlfriend, I'm not even human anyway."

"Eh?"

"Come to think of it, I can be considered your daughter instead, Nyahahaha!" She laughed heartily, "Can I call you Papa?"

Hachiman blushed hard and barked. "Fuck off. And apologize to my still-beating heart."

"I'm not apologizing, Hachiman you idiot!" She gave him red-eye and then popped into a fine mist, leaving a strange old book on his lap.

"Hikki, you woke up?" Yui knocked on the door and peeked inside, "I thought I heard I.B., was she awake just now?"

"I.B.?" Ah, the strange girl that turned into a book and joked about being Hachiman's girlfriend or something. He then lifted the book. "She's here."

"Hmm? She's asleep again? Weird." Yui picked up the book and put it on his table, and then sat on the bed and put her hand on his temple. "Are you alright? Do you still feel feverish?"

"Nope, I'm good as new," Hachiman replied lightly. "I forgot to charge my leg."

Now that he's no longer as clueless, he's no longer as fearful anymore. There's nothing more horrifying to him than being left in the dark. Still, Yuigahama was too close for his comfort, so he felt a little embarrassed.

"Umm, your hand."

"Ah, sorry." Yui grimaced and took a distance away, a tinge of red drawn on her cheeks. "If you still feel unwell, I'll probably stay for the night too."

Why did she sound like she WANTED it? Please don't cause misunderstanding Yuigahama-san.

"Umm, it's a bit hot, so let me turn up the AC." Hachiman got off his bed and picked the remote and lowered the output temperature by one degree, which should be more than enough.

He noticed that there are a lot more photos on his table than ever.

"Ah, these are the photos from the Wargames last June, remember?" Yui laughed, "The team division was a complete disaster."

Hachiman looked at the photos and boy, disaster was an understatement. _Seriously, who the hell thought putting Yukinoshita, Miura, AND Sagami in one team is a good idea?_

Looking at the picture alone Hachiman felt like someone choked him, purely from the tension radiated by the expression of the three girls. So this must be the version of 'workplace visit' that happened, but he didn't remember happening.

By the way, Hachiman seemed to be grouped with Hayato and Kawasaki. He saw that they're armed with a gunblade and giant sword, respectively.

Not the worst team, but probably awkward as hell.

He wondered if his relationship with Hayama Hayato is as bad as he remembers, no... he wonder if EVERYONE'S relationship is exactly as he remembers.

He can't simply use Yuigahama as indicators and run with it, for all he knew, Yuigahama could be the exception, not the rule.

No matter what Hachiman thinks, he will have to erase any preconception and use his well-honed power of observation once again to make sure he didn't misunderstand the relationship he had with others in this reality.

So the first thing he will have to check is his contact list. His contact list has a few more numbers than before but not by much. In other words, it seems that Hikigaya Hachiman remains relatively friendless even here, in the new and unknown reality.

"Hey, Sagamin? How are you doing?" Yui answered a call that seems to come from Sagami Minami, which weirded Hachiman out. "Yeah well, that's true but EEEEHH?!"

What's with the scream?

"Of-of course not! You ninny!" Yui's face turned as red as a ripe tomato as she looked at Hachiman's direction, "As if! I'm not that desperate!"

"No, you!"

_Judging from the tone of the conversation, it was clear that Yuigahama and Sagami are of equal position and on close speaking terms._ Hachiman concluded, he wondered how the relationship between Yui and Yumiko instead...

The Yuigahama he knew always been subservient to Yumiko's whim.

"Well I've done cleaning the house, the laundry also done... next one should be dinner." Yui hummed happily.

Crap.

"It's fine. I'll do it." Hachiman stood up and then stopped her.

"Ehhh? Is it really fine?"

...

Hachiman wouldn't praise his cooking if he can help it, but the fact of the matter is that he was taught by his mother and he taught Komachi to cook. Just because Komachi's current cooking skill is superior doesn't mean his cooking is subpar.

"You've done a lot of chores today so I feel really bad not doing anything, and besides of which what kind of house husband can;y even cook to save his life?" He answered, half-joking.

"Ho-house husband?!" Yui looked immensely shocked by his answer.

"Yeah, problem?" He grinned creepily as he walked downstairs and immediately wore an apron shortly before he washed his hand properly and then prepare the ingredient out of the fridge. "Anyway, I can't promise I can cook it, but do you want anything specific?"

"Eh? Uh."

"It's almost dinnertime anyway, I'll escort you home later if you don't plan to stay."

_Erm, well, fuck._

"W-well I mean if I'm healthy enough to cook then there's no reason to stay for the night is there?" He rolled his eyes away in fear, seriously, he sounded like he offered the possibility to her and that's bad.

"Eh? Uh, okay." Yui said, somewhat disappointed, "I'm fine with whatever, Hikki."

"Since there's leftover rice from the lunch, how about I make fried rice instead?"

"Sure!"

So Hachiman makes a short work chopping the ingredient and stir away with a deadpan expression. People like to say the best ingredient in cooking is love, but Hachiman didn't believe it in the slightest.

"My bad, it's not much." Hachiman served Yui a big plate of fried rice, "But I can promise it has a unique taste."

"This better not be a trap." Yui teased him and clapped her hands as she prayed.

"Hmm."

Yui's eyes widened.

"So tasty!" Yui munched it loudly, "It's a bit sour but tasty!"

"Yeah, I use grated plum as a seasoning to increase appetite. Since it's summer, the sourness counteracts the greasiness of the fried rice and give out a fresh taste." Hachiman explained, "And you're also more inclined to drink more."

"That's interesting!"

Hachiman deliberately avoids mentioning the fact that he learned this recipe from a shonen cooking manga, however.

"Wow, it's really hot when it's summer huh." Yui carelessly fans her cleavage with her hand, forced Hachiman to look away. "Let me borrow the shower a bit, Hikki. Do you need the tub prepared for you?"

"What, hey!" Hachiman shouted, "Don't waste the water. I don't need the tub. Wait, no that's not what I-"

This girl isn't afraid of him, is she?

It made Hachiman uneasy. But above all else, it's frustrating.

Hachiman was sure that someone like Yuigahama won't try to tempt him or something, so he felt a bit irked that his pride as a man wasn't regarded very well in this situation.

Still, this is a good opportunity so Hachiman looked around.

_Huh, she left her phone on the dining table, how careless._

...It has Hachiman's picture as a lock screen.

"It's not good tinkering with other people's phone yeah." Hachiman chickened out, desperately avoiding the fact and went upstairs.

He immediately approached his work desk and faced the strange old book, "I.B., are you awake?"

With a flash of black light, the book turned into mini-Hiratsuka again, sitting on the desk with a carefree pose.

"Yo! Finally acknowledged my existence at least."

"Well yeah, I'm done running from reality." Hachiman said, "You've been with me at least for one and half year right?"

"At least in human form, yes." I.B. winked in response, "I've been attending Soubu as a normal student all this time, only Yuigahama and Yukinoshita know my secret form."

Surprising.

"Speaking of Yukinoshita, what's my relationship with her? What of Yuigahama?"

"Hmm, can't say you're exceptionally close, but I don't think you hate her or anything." The book-girl responded, "She felt indirectly responsible for your leg getting the ax though."

"Huh..."

"I'm pretty sure Yuigahama wanted to be her friend either way, but whether the sentiment reciprocated..."

"I see."

Well, without the service club, neither Hachiman nor Yui likely have the excuse to see Yukino all the time. Plus there was no secret between Yukinoshita and him, in this timeline.

"Tell me about people I hang out with and their clique, just the broad explanation is fine."

From the short explanation by the book-girl, Hachiman learned a few things to consider. First of all, he's still friends with Saika and Zaimokuza, so that's a good thing. Yui and Yumiko never get along, mostly because Yui is surprisingly very studious at school. This is the entire opposite of what Hachiman remembered in his memory.

"Well, Yuigahama trained so hard her hair turned pink. Must be because of her trauma and regret." I.B. pointed, "Or so I like to assume, you didn't recognize her when you met her in the second year."

"I see."

"Oh, and as I understand, a girl named Sagami is acting as Yuigahama's second fiddle and foil. Sagami and Miura didn't get along at all and frequently clash for the throne of Alpha bitch in the class."

Sagami.

Acting like a second fiddle?

"...Shit, I might have underestimated Yuigahama all along."

No wonder she's so brave and carefree, this Yuigahama Yui he's dealing with is almost entirely the opposite than the one he remembers. A Yuigahama that's studious, confident, and take no shit from Miura Yumiko?

Absolutely dangerous.

"...Your face telling me you're supremely concerned about something."

"Well, it might be just my hopeful stupidity speaking, but I have the feeling that Yuigahama tried to delay going home." Hachiman looked left and right. "I wonder why."

"Fuckin duh, how can you be so dense?!" I.B. poked his forehead, infuriated, "Would a girl decide to spend a night at a boy's house without reason, especially when his parents and sister are gone?"

That...

"There must be a good explanation." He defied her.

"Wanna make a bet? Bring me out of this room and put me elsewhere, she will sleep on your bed. If she does, you need to make a move on her. If not, I'll treat you something interesting."

She gave him red-eye again and then poofed back into her book form.

"Damnit." Hachiman groaned and hurriedly bring the old book out of his room, and put her in the living room along with his pile of homework.

When he came out, Yui was done showering and is wearing a track jacket and running shorts. "I'm done showering, Hikki. And thanks."

Anyone who had spent a night at Hikigaya household knows very well that pajama has no place in this house, for track jacket and track pants are infinitely more comfortable.

Yuigahama doesn't intend to leave huh?

"Ah, by the way... you left your phone on the dining table, idiot." He chastised her, which made her smile in silliness.

Hachiman was so restless that he decided to run a cold shower instead to calm himself down and focus. And even then it was barely enough to keep his composure.

Hachiman was so afraid that he can't bear to look inside his room anymore. However, if he chickens out, not only he has the feeling that I.B. will mock him for the rest of his life, things will get awkward with Yui also.

So he looked.

Yuigahama Yui was sleeping on his bed, eyes closed and all.

Shoot.

"Oi, Yuigahama, aren't you cold?"

Hesitantly, Hachiman entered his bedroom and decided to make a move on her at last... and put a blanket on her with an innocent whistle.

Hachiman soundlessly walked out of the room, only to face a grinning I.B. downstairs, "So?"

"So what? It's not right to make a move on someone sleeping, idiot." Hachiman grouched.

"...I'm going to punch your lights out, strip you to your boxer and then post your picture on social media later."

I.B. was smiling, but Hachiman had the feeling of deja vu that her temperament really isn't that different from Hiratsuka-sensei. Like at all. When she decided something, then he had no choice but to do it.

"On second thought, Yuigahama needed a wakeup call for sure."

"I'm just going to eat some ramen. If I see you chicken out again I'm going to do unspeakably horrible things."

He'd probably just do a harmless prank on Yui, that much is fine, right?

Hachiman returned again to his room and noticed that the blanket was off, and Yuigahama... well, she slept with a very unnatural pose with unnatural noise coming out of her mouth.

She's pretending to be asleep.

"You don't sound asleep and all." Hachiman sighed heavily, "And you even took off the blanket."

Yui opened her eyes and blinked, before she rolled aside and sit on the bed. "You found out."

"Even as a joke that's rather awful to test a guy's limit, I'm a trained Loner and I knew it when I see one." Hachiman chastised her, "It's fine if you're concerned and all but still..."

Hachiman was stopped when all of sudden he felt he lose weight... and float midair, then slammed on the wall right beside her.

It wasn't a hard throw, but still unpleasant. And now, he understood that Yuigahama really had a powerful telekinesis ability.

"That hurt..."

"You deserve it, idiot." Yui pouted, and unless his eyes failed him, also on the verge of crying from embarrassment. "I never came here out of concern at all."

Ah.

Hachiman felt like he had this kind of conversation before. Ah, yes, during the fallout in the aftermath of workplace visit... Hachiman thought Yuigahama was being nice out of pity, and because she felt responsible for the accident.

As it turns out, that wasn't really the case.

Even so...

Even so...

"Yuigahama-"

His words were cut off when she leaned her head on his chest with an angered face. And Hachiman wasn't entirely sure how to deal with that...

However, the tense, awkward, and the somewhat intimate atmosphere was interrupted when both their phone went off at the same time.

"Huh?"

They both received the call simultaneously.

"[Hikigaya, Yuigahama, are you connected?]"

"Hiratsuka-sensei?" Hachiman asked, her voice sounded extremely grave, "What is it?"

"[There's a sudden attack in JFE steel east manufacturing complex near the Port. The two of you are the closest in position so go there as soon as possible, oh and Hikigaya, bring I.B. along. I'll contact you again later, I'll have police force prepared as backup.]"

Yui sharpened her eyes and nodded, "Let's go, Hikki."

"Huh?!"

"What are you gawking for?! Get your guns reading and bring I.B. with us!" Yui pulled something from underneath his bed, it was a strange coffin-sized container. "Don't tell me you forgot?!"

"Maybe." He scowled.

The container wasn't secured via password but outright biometric scanning, so he used his thumb on the scanner to open it, revealing a massive number of weapons and ammunition neatly packed inside.

"We're going to fight in a very important industrial site, so avoid collateral damage when possible." Yui told him, "Load with frangibles, don't bring incendiary ammo and be frugal with explosives."

Instead of porn stash, Hikigaya Hachiman would never imagine he had entire armory hidden under his bed. Nevertheless, this is the reality he must live in starting today.


	2. Chapter 2

**I honestly don't know if people like this story or not. I wrote this on my sick leave because I was bored as hell and meet road blocks when writing other fanfic, so eh. This is a work born purely out of my personal whims.**

**Read and review on your own discretion, ladies and gentleman.**

* * *

"Radio check?" Yui said aloud.

"Radio check, channel clear!" Hachiman confirmed.

"Alright! We're now connected, and if there are other students in the vicinity, we can immediately regroup." Yui said as she wore a pair of gloves, "Both of us are medium-to-long-range combatants, and we can't leave everything to I.B. alone, so remember to focus, we might get ambushed."

"Hey, listen, Yuigahama." Hachiman suddenly muttered.

"What?"

"I could be a liability, so don't rely too much on me, alright? I'll support you from behind." Hachiman told her calmly.

"Weird, what's with you today? You're being too reserved and grumpy on me." Yui furrowed her eyebrows in confusion, "And now you're afraid?"

Hachiman was quiet as he tightened his tracksuit, "How many combat missions we have been in before?"

"...One."

"Exactly." Hachiman said as he loaded his final gun and threw it into his pocket space, "And you know I just recovered from a fever, so I'm a bit sluggish."

He doesn't really know the sheer strength and abilities of the previous Hachiman, and that's why he used his brief illness as an excuse.

"That's true, are you sure you're alright?" Yui sighed, "In the first place, we have greater body constitution than a normal person, so getting sick is uncommon."

"I'm fine." Hachiman fastened the boot under his feet, "Let's go."

Yui and Hachiman both departed at high speed. Each of them riding specially modified Suzuki Inazuma police bike, with the siren turned on to make sure the traffic ahead gave their way.

They moved the dead center of the road at 80 km/h, well over the Japanese road speed limit for civilians. There's also the fact that almost literally every intersection leading to the site was blocked by police cars, thus making accidents unlikely.

"We can even use police siren." Hachiman mentally noted, "Just how much authority we have?"

Though it's not as if Hachiman was daydreaming, He was thinking rather deeply about the new world he woke up into. It seems that Chiba is a lot more developed than the one he remembered, though the wealthy suburban area he lived in remains the same for the most part.

Hachiman wondered if it has something to do with the fact that the original Hachiman already had friends since year one. And that's why he never went to the deep end of social isolation and cynicism. Because of that, the original Hachiman also likely more motivated to study and train.

The current Hachiman realized that he still retain muscle memory on how to use firearms and his pocket space, but aside from that, he's shit out of luck.

This is a world where teens were sent to fight a threat that neither police nor the military can handle alone. Hachiman wasn't so naive as to expect it will be a breeze, superpower or not.

That's why he acted so paranoid. If the original Hachiman lost his leg fighting despite all his training and knowledge, it could always be worse with the clueless Hachiman on the steering wheel. He would rather entrust his lives and well being to Yui and I.B.

Yuigahama already suspected something was off when he showed his hesitation. It seems that the original Hachiman here is a lot less boorish but also shameless and reckless.

And so, with heavy heart, he asked. "I.B., please protect us."

"Yo-kai." The book inside his tactical backpack spoke, and then she resumed her human form, sitting on the backseat.

Realized that the Soubu student came, the police immediately open the way, seemingly armed to the teeth. Hachiman counted there should be fifty, sixty police officers at the very least.

"We're from Soubu." Yui immediately raised her I.D. card, "Can you inform us of the situation?"

"A Void-class Anomaly showed up from the ocean and summoned hordes of Kobolds. We managed to hold back the horde, but the Knight remains at large, and there are workers trapped inside the factory." One of the officers reported.

Kobolds... that must be the name of enemy creatures. Hachiman realized just how unnatural it looks, but it seems that TPE also gave him the ability to see in the dark.

The enemy looked like a bunch of dwarven, humanoid lizards, roughly 120 cm (4 feet) tall but very muscular.

"We should prioritize rescue attempt and avoid engaging the enemy head-on." Yui concluded, "It's a stealth mission, everyone."

_Stealth mission?_ Hachiman grinned. _It CAN'T be that easy, right?_

"As long as you can secure the landing zone, we can send the rescue helicopter on the other side of the dock. Meanwhile, we'll pull the horde's attention into this chokepoint using infrasonic bait." The Police chief explained, "Use that chance to sneak to the factory complex."

Yui downloaded the schematic of the factory into her phone, and it shows up on the screen. "Alright, we got the map. Be careful, if the Void Knight shows up, just run and don't bother engaging!" Yui warned the police officer.

"Hikki, switch to subsonic round and put on the silencer."

"Gotcha."

Hachiman pulled a Submachinegun out of thin air and then switched the ammo with a heavy subsonic load and put a suppressor pipe on the front.

It's almost terrifying that he can do it by instinct, to be honest. He slapped his cheek to psyche up and put on a grim expression as he cocked the charging handle and switched the gun to semi-automatic mode.

"Wha? And to think you're always trying to strike a cool pose before fighting..." Yui winced, "Seriously, you're weirding me out now."

Wait, really?

"Look, people's lives are on the stake now, why are you nitpicking?!" Hachiman protested to cover his anxiety.

"That's true" I.B. licked her lips as she created a pair of blacklight daggers. "We're going silent, no screaming allowed."

And so, the three teenagers rushed around the edge of the dock, taking a distant detour so they can enter the factory from its rear entrance. I.B. leading ahead with Yui sandwiched between, and Hachiman behind.

"Hikki, clear everything within ten meters of our sides. Remember, they have an armored skull, so shoot through their chest or mouth."

"Roger."

Hachiman took a deep breath and began shooting. At the range of ten meters, he wasn't really sure if his muscle memory alone is enough and prayed it would.

Thankfully he can still hit where it counts, with each pull of the trigger blasted a bloody hole on the goblin-like monsters that covered the area like ants.

To make sure they're dead, Hachiman decided to double tap each of them carefully.

Even though they don't look humans... part of Hachiman felt sickened nonetheless. As much as Hachiman loves to bluff and lie, he wouldn't hurt any creature if he could help it.

Would it be better if he thinks of them as giant pests? Perhaps that would help alleviate his nausea.

Unlike in the movies, a silenced firearm isn't really silent. Compared to the ear-shattering thunderclap of supersonic bullets, however, the sound of a silenced gun firing subsonic ammo sounded a lot milder, like someone beating a drum or banging a door.

With the police force unloading their arsenal without restraint, the noise of Hachiman's gun more or less irrelevant. Meanwhile, Yui kept sending her knives ahead to stab the Kobolds in front of the group, and I.B. swept the occasional straggler that get past Hachiman and Yui's attention.

They saw a pair of much taller monsters that resembled a four-legged insect trying to pry open the sealed factory's door with their claw and brute strength.

"Hikki, cover our back. We're going to take down these Myrmeks." Yui said as she released four more knives, in addition to the pair she was holding.

"Wha-"

Hachiman realized that real life is not a video game, but the logic isn't unsound. If Yuigahama is that concerned, it means they're facing mini-boss of the sort.

"Be careful." Hachiman nodded.

Truthfully, he was already on the verge of peeing his pants. However, his fear weight a lot less than his concern for the civilians trapped inside.

If someone like Hachiman can feel so terrified... what about them?

Yui and I.B. attacked simultaneously, with Yui literally flying and striking from the top and I.B. from the bottom, they decided to focus on one of the Myrmeks.

"Move!" Yui swung her arm while focusing her TPE and threw the elephant-sized insect like a ragdoll aside. It allowed I.B. to unleash a full-length blacklight curved sword and stab it on the abdomen.

"Gah, even stabbing through the gaps is hard!" I.B. shouted as she somersaulted away to dodge the deadly swing from the Myrmek's claw.

Yui also sent her knives but also met similar resistance.

"Guh!"

"Yuigahama! Be careful!"

In a split second, Yui glanced aside and raised a telekinesis barrier around her to deflect the strike from the other Myrmek. The air surrounding them shuddered as several hundred tons of force met an invisible wall.

"Gah!"

I.B. took this moment of distraction to leap high, and then pooled TPE around her right arm.

"DEVIL HAM HAMMER!" She screamed as her right arm turned into a disproportionally grotesque black fist covered in crystalline scales. And smashed the Myrmek to the ground, resulting in a meters-wide crater.

The other Myrmek tried to leap on her. However, it was interrupted an empty cargo container crashed into it from the side courtesy of Yui's telekinesis manipulation.

The concentration of TPE around I.B.'s arm ceased, with her limb turned normal again, but it was apparent that the Myrmekes still able to fight.

"We're wasting too much time! Hellborne Razor!" I.B. focused more TPE, and this time both her arms turned into giant blacklight cleavers instead. "I'm going to get serious!"

Despite being much smaller, I.B. managed to block the ferocious attack of the Myrmek that came like a speeding truck. Meanwhile, Yui used a construction grade iron beam to defend herself.

"We're making too much noise! What about Hikki?!"

"No time to worry! If he lost against Kobolds, I'm going to drag him out of his grave and laugh on his face!" I.B. cackled while dodging the slices from her opponent's claw, and then return it with powerful cleaves from her own.

"This isn't the time for jokes!" Yui shouted at her angrily.

I.B. managed to cut both of Myrmek's claws and fangs and then made a crossing motion with her cleaver arms to slice through it's weakened torso.

"Focus on the mission, Yuigahama!" I.B. reminded her sternly, "Hikigaya can defend himself, but the factory crew cannot!"

"GUH! FINE!" Yui stopped and immediately ran inside the factory.

I.B. went to engage the other Myrmek in the hopes that Hachiman could at least hold out until then. She could barely tell if he's on the same battlefield.

* * *

**ヴァルハラロマンス ****\- ****不可解**  
**Valhalla Romance - Cryptical**

Original Story by: Watari Wataru  
Written by: ZeroXSEED

* * *

**Chapter 2 - And so, his peaceful, idyllic life is gone (Part 2)**

* * *

Indeed, Hikigaya Hachiman was running away in fear for his life. The swarm of Kobolds pursuing him in the number of dozens and each of them brandishes an ax that could cut through the sheet metal body of a forklift, as he terrifyingly found out.

Worse yet, some also carried primitive firearms that shoot flaming bullets. These bullets are nowhere as fast as modern, aerodynamic projectiles, but perhaps even more deadly.

One stray shot looked like an impact from a small grenade, which made Hachiman scared shitless.

Granted, his TPE protected him from the brunt of the damage and injuries, but still...

"Screw you!" Hachiman pulled a machinegun out of his pocket space and began firing in panic.

Hundreds of rounds were fired, but he only managed to kill less than two dozen Kobolds despite his superhuman perception. Even more ironic, given that some of his bullets pierced multiple kobolds but failed to inflict mortal wounds due to poor slot placements.

His body and clothes were covered in countless minor burns and cuts. His entire body was in pain, and the worst-case scenario would be his prosthetic failing him.

Tears of rage and fear flowed from the corner of his eyes, and his hand shaken as he reloaded his machinegun with another belt of ammunition.

He will die.

_Somebody help me!_

His quiet prayer was answered when a white mirage passed by. Suddenly, five Kobolds sliced apart into pieces in the blink of an eye.

"Summer vacation really made students complacent, huh, Hikigaya?" She smirked.

The familiar Hiratsuka-sensei was holding a silver katana in her right hand and a pistol in her left hand, seemingly unconcerned despite being surrounded by several dozens of monsters.

Hiratsuka moved so fast that Hachiman can barely make a detail of her clothes. And it was clear that the Kobolds have it even worse than him.

With newfound hope, Hachiman decided to trust Hiratsuka-sensei and then rushed toward the steel factory. Yui and I.B. already began the process of evacuating the workers who were left behind.

"Hikki!"

"I'm okay!" He shouted as he switched from a machinegun into a large-caliber sniper rifle. "Yuigahama! Send me to that smoke tower! I need a better vantage point!"

"Be careful!"

If nothing else, Hachiman should be less of a deadweight. He forced his eyes open as he felt Yuigahama's light surrounded him, and sent him to the top of the smoke tower of the steel factory.

"Now where are you, bastards."

Hachiman began firing.

Each time he felt like a jolt of electricity punched through his shoulder. It wasn't painful, but it was very uncomfortable. However, if nothing else, it was worth the blowback.

The Kobolds literally exploded every time he hits anywhere close to their head or torso. Even grazing shot tear apart limbs with ease, blew craters on the concrete flooring as they passed through the enemy without resistance and threw around the surrounding Kobolds into disarray.

"Huff." Hachiman took a deep breath and then reloaded the rifle before resuming his duty. This sniper rifle really is taxing to use...

He heard the evacuation helicopter finally arrived at the designated landing zone, already secured thanks to the effort of Yuigahama and I.B.

Hachiman looked to see there's almost no Kobolds left in the face of Hiratsuka. She must have killed forty or fifty on her own. That's terrifying.

"[Oh no, the boss is coming!]" He heard on the radio.

In pure unadulterated horror, Hachiman saw a white-armored dragon creature leaped out of nowhere, seemingly aimed for the evacuation helicopter.

Hachiman stopped thinking.

Completely.

He really doesn't know if it's something genetically ingrained in him or something he simply acquired over his seventeen years of life. He's a coward at heart, and yet...

In times like this, his mind simply shut down and let his body took over. He switched from a large sniper rifle into singlehandedly the most destructive weapon in his arsenal.

AT-4 Recoiless cannon.

In the hands of a mortal man, this humble weapon is capable of blasting through 420 millimeters of hardened steel armor. And in the hands of Trans-Phase Energy users, it's only getting more horrifying.

However, there's a catch.

Not only it's a single-shot weapon, but it is also unguided, requiring a precise calculation against moving target. With the speed that White Dragon possesses, it was a difficult target despite being the size of a small bus.

If only someone could...

Hachiman saw briefly that in desperation, Yui threw a pair of cargo containers toward the white dragon in tandem.

Hachiman was already halfway descending from the sky and fired the tube-like weapon before the containers made contact.

The standard shipping containers crumpled like tin cans, but at least the dragon's momentum was stopped. In around 0.3 seconds, the shell fired hit the dragon. Consumed by a massive explosion, the dragon fell with earth-shaking impact.

The helicopter, though shaken, managed to get away from the scene. Meanwhile, Hachiman stomped the air with TPE energy to cushion his inevitable impact.

It was a successful, relatively soft landing. If Hachiman had to compare, it was a similar feeling to jumping from a 3-meter high platform.

"[Evacuation successful!]" Yui announced, "[I repeat: Evacuation successful!]"

"[We proceed to the second part of the mission, to prevent more low-level monsters spawning we must absolutely defeat that Vishap.]" Hiratsuka ordered, "[I'm taking over, now listen.]"

Vishap, the name of Armenian God Dragon associated with water. What insulting name... but perhaps, from the perspective of the non-TPE user, calling it an invincible God isn't that much of a stretch.

No matter how powerful a weapon is, fighting a monster without TPE is a pointless endeavor. This is something that Hachiman read about.

In this world, the existence of combat vehicles was nothing more than a glorified pack mule. Even the average policemen have a low-level ability to use Trans-Phase energy, which allows their guns to work to some extent.

And even then, they have hard enough time facing low-level monsters such as Kobolds despite being armed with military assault rifles.

In contrast, a much weaker submachinegun in Hachiman's hand can kill the wretched monsters in just two or three shots. Perhaps, this power disparity is the reason why they're so reliant on kids like him.

"Hikki, you're hurt." Yui approached him with worry.

"I'm fine, Hiratsuka-sensei helped." Hachiman threw the now empty and useless launcher away, not even bothering to put it back into his pocket space. "Now, what shall I do, Yuigahama?"

Yui took a breath to calm herself and regain her focus, "Switch to your sniper rifle and load it with Mk.211. We're not pulling any punch this round."

Hachiman chuckled and pulled his sniper rifle again, now that they're standing side by side, the gun was almost as long as Yuigahama is tall. And this time, he loads it with special ammunition so powerful it was designed for use against light armored cars and helicopters and not living humans.

"Let's give this bastard a lesson." I.B. focus her power again, and this time created a very long curved blade, twice as long as Hiratsuka's katana. "And make him taste my Zanbatou."

Hachiman had a hard time comprehending what happened afterward. His mind was almost gone from exhaustion, pain, and trauma.

What he remembered was the gigantic dragon bend over like a bitch under the combined strength of Hiratsuka-sensei and her students. Hachiman wasn't even sure if he was needed here, but he still contributed nevertheless.

Only halfway conscious, Hachiman remembered he's being carted by the medics and brought to the hospital with an ambulance.

The last thing he remembered was Yui's crying face.

...

Bright lights and uncomfortable sterile scent filled Hachiman's senses the moment he woke up from his slumber. Hachiman woke up to find a familiar ceiling above him.

It was the ceiling of Chiba Municipal hospital, the place where he was treated after the Limousine-related accident one and a half years ago.

He looked aside to find IV injection to his right hand, but it doesn't look like anything vital anyway. He closed the IV flow and then stood up and walk away from his bed.

Just to show how low priority his treatment was, he even shared the room with a lot of patients, likely suffering minor to moderate, non-infectious problems.

"Excuse me, what are you doing?" One of the Nurse gasped when they saw Hachiman walked like nothing happened, despite his face, arms, and leg covered in bandages.

Hachiman nonchalantly ripped the bandage on his cheek, revealing the fact that his wound more or less healed perfectly. "I was out for how long?"

"Uh oh, about seven hours, Sir."

So more or less overnight, thankfully, it wasn't that long, so he immediately returned to his bed and returned the IV flow again as if nothing happened.

The nurses immediately scrambled to report the fact that he regained consciousness, obviously.

Somewhere in the eight in the morning, Yuigahama and Hiratsuka inside to check on him. "HIKKI!"

"This is Hospital, oi." Hachiman chastised the pink-haired girl, "Quiet."

"If you have that much energy to bitch, I suppose you're fine after all."

"Of course, I am." Hachiman sighed, "I think all of my wounds also healed perfectly."

"I see." Hiratsuka looked closely around his cheek and noticed there was no scar left, "Indeed, looks perfect."

"How soon can I get discharged?"

"As soon as you get your morning examination."

"Thank God, I'm already sick of this ward."

"I'm sorry." Yuigahama bowed deeply, regretful. "I should have listened and never leave you alone."

Hachiman already told Yui that he could not be relied on in such a condition, so why didn't Yui listen?

"...How's the situation with the workers? What about Police?"

"All of them evacuated with minor injuries." Hiratsuka closed her eyes, "As for the Police, well, no one died at least."

Hachiman got the hint that at least several of them got hurt badly. How many of them lost their limbs and need replacement like Hachiman did? How many of them are in ICU right now, stuck in the boundary between life and death?

The feeling made him uncomfortable. However, he doesn't really want to share that ill-feeling with Yuigahama.

"See, no one died, that means we're doing well." Hachiman scoffed, "Don't cry for every little thing, Yuigahama."

"No, no one died because we're lucky." Hiratsuka said, "Had I came a few minutes late, your ass will be toast. How can you let a bunch of Kobolds kick your ass?"

"In the middle of fighting, I forgot how to fight*." Hachiman snarkily replied, "If you come a few minutes late, it would be a display of tactical incompetence and lack of personal discipline, no?"

Hachiman doesn't really know what he's talking about, in terms of military speak. He was merely speaking from his viewpoint as civilians from an entirely different world.

"That is indeed true, it's my irresponsibility of leaving everything to student's hands." Hiratsuka closed her eyes again, "To be honest, I'm disappointed in myself more than I do with you now."

"No, Sensei, there must be a better explanation, is there?" Yui asked her desperately.

"It was a simultaneous attack." Hiratsuka sharpened her eyes, "A smaller monsters incursion happened close to Kaihin-Makuhari station. I had to organize all the remaining students there instead of bringing you reinforcement."

So that's why Hiratsuka had to take the matter into her own hands.

"That location is extremely precarious." Yui held her chin, thinking. "Even though the attack was of a smaller scale, the area around the station would be heavily populated. I don't think you're in the wrong here, Sensei."

And thus, unlike random-ass isolated steel factory in sparsely populated port, it would take a higher priority to deal with.

"I agree completely with Yuigahama," Hachiman said, even with his lack of knowledge, he could see the logic.

"Well then, Hikigaya, let's talk about why you performed so bad last night." Hiratsuka smiled, but it made Hachiman frightened somewhat. "Why are you flailing around like an idiot?"

"Ummm..."

"Ah, Hikki had a mild fever yesterday." Yui said, "It was really my fault."

No, it isn't. It wasn't Yui's fault at all. Actually, it might be Yui's fault for not listening to him but still...

"Mild fever?" Hiratsuka raised her eyebrow.

"Hikki had a mild fever in the afternoon." Yui explained, "I was there visiting his home when it happened."

"It's nothing, I was a little sleep-deprived..." Hachiman said.

...

And so, Hachiman got discharged right after an inspection. However, Hiratsuka escorted him and Yui back to Hikigaya residence.

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"I've called my family and told them everything, so it's fine." Hachiman said, "Yuigahama, don't you feel worried about your parents?"

"I came straight home yesterday, so it's fine!" Yui told him.

"She wanted to watch over you but got kicked out since it's not VIP ward." I.B. popped out and grinned.

_Seriously?_

"Ahhh!" Yuigahama panicked and slowly backed away, her bag of homework in tow. "Alright, I'll definitely come back tomorrow."

Hachiman noticed that she didn't bring along her clothes bag, leaving it in his house since yesterday. How persistent!

Hachiman heard her bike roared and then left.

"So..." Hiratsuka winked and coughed, "How far you two have gone?"

"Is that a question a teacher should ask?" Hachiman said in a deadpan tone.

"Wow! I.B. didn't lie, you REALLY have amnesia, huh? I'm wondering why Yuigahama would stick to you when you're this grouchy." Hiratsuka shook her head, "Since when? Was it due to the fever?"

"Before that. I was taking a nap, and things get really confusing." Hachiman said as he sat on the sofa and turned on the TV to see the report on yesterday's attack. "Sensei, have you ever felt like the world had changed after you woke up?"

"Proverbially perhaps, but certainly not literal." She and I.B. sat beside him, "What about you?"

"Imagine a peaceful world, where neither monsters nor TPE exists. Imagine a boring world, where you're nothing more than just a civil servant, and I'm just an ordinary high school boy." Hachiman told them.

"A world where something like me doesn't exist, huh?" I.B. snarked, "Sounds like a nice place to stay."

"I.B., are you sure his memory didn't get altered yesterday?" Hiratsuka skeptically, though understandably asked. "Was it the fever Yuigahama mentioned?"

"One hundred percent sure, Mom." I.B. cackled maniacally, "I was with him all the time, and he got really weird after he woke up from a simple nap. He didn't even remember Yuigahama had pink hair for a while and that I exist."

"That has to be a joke."

"Not at all, I'm pretty sure he was scared shitless when he realized he lost his right leg too." I.B. waved her hand, literally holding her laughter until she's on the verge of crying. "Pffftt."

Hiratsuka rubbed her aching temple. "If it was anyone else who said it, I wouldn't believe it."

"It's hard to believe, huh..."

"You know... just to be safe, I'll call a specialist to examine you later." Hiratsuka decided, "Then we can decide what to do next."

"I see." Hachiman nodded in understanding since it was crystal clear that Hiratsuka would be tied up with general bureaucracy problems.

He was neither impatient nor an idiot.

"One question." Hachiman raised his finger, "I.B. said she's my daughter, how does that work?"

"One and a half years ago... there's that incident." Hiratsuka rubbed her chin as she recalled it, "You're not originally a gunslinger... rather, you're a wizard holding the possession of a strange extradimensional tome."

"The name of that book is the Inverse Bible." I.B. jumped off the sofa and danced around, somewhat reminded Hachiman of Komachi more than anything else. "No one knew its real name, but you found it in your grandparents' house and named it as such."

_"Ack! So the old me still suffer chuunibyou, even in this world full of wonders." _Hachiman groaned mentally. _"Just kill me already."_

"Most of I.B.'s techniques were something you created, by channeling your TPE through the tome's dark energy filter, you can create solid energy constructs." Hiratsuka shows Hachiman a recording video, "But the Inverse Bible also imprison a malevolent entity called Belial."

"So the incident one and half years ago..."

"During a high-level monster attack, you released Belial because you desperately wanted to protect Yuigahama. However, Belial went berserk and cut your leg." Hiratsuka pointed.

Eh?

"I'm not sure if it was a mechanism built inside the tome. Either way, the tome used the cut-off leg and sucked half my Trans-Phase power to create a humanoid vessel for the book that could reseal Belial."

"And that humanoid vessel... created from my flesh and bone, and Hiratsuka-sensei's Trans-Phase energy..." Hachiman slowly and suddenly turned red and horrified by the realization, "Erm..."

"Correct." I.B. made a pair of OK signs, "I'm technically your daughter with Hiratsuka-Sensei."

"...I want to die so much." Hachiman wanted to cry.

"One does not care to acknowledge the mistake of one's youth**." Hiratsuka smacked Hachiman's shoulder and laughed hard. "Don't worry. It's the responsibility of an adult to shoulder the burden of watching over brats like you, so feel free to mess up as much as you like."

Hachiman wondered if having BOTH older Hiratsuka and younger Hiratsuka around was the reason why the original Hachiman implied to be less grumpy.

* * *

*** Ramba Ral, Mobile Suit Gundam.  
** Char Aznable, Mobile Suit Gundam.**


	3. Chapter 3

**First of all, first author notes after a long while. I'm happy and sad that some reader caught the inspiration. While Yuigahama might seems like a carbon copy, the rest of characters won't be.**

**The setting by itself is 'original' in a sense that it's not based on any particular franchise, but more like a patchwork of my favorite cliches superimposed on Oregairu characters, with some well-deserved twist and meta commentary.**

**While the work itself is written as Isekai, it's setting is pushing for SciFi approach in modern setting because we always need more SciFi isekai in modern setting. Fantasy isekai setting in vaguely medieval era is over-saturated as it is.**

**I have low expectation when writing this, which might shows in terms of quality. Regardless, I hope readers would still enjoy it for what it is.**

* * *

Hachiman was brought to Soubu High for the first time. The buildings, halls, and the sports fields were identical to what he remembers. However, it seems that Soubu also took over much of the southern area as a military training field, armory, and other facilities.

"Despite being a big city, there are a lot fewer cars than I expected, but there are a lot more buses instead." Hachiman noted, "Why is that?"

"Tax and restriction on personal ownership of commuting motor vehicles within the city limit." I.B. told him, "To reduce the risk of traffic jams."

In a world rife with the possibility of monsters attack, the road must always be clear so that emergency respondents can react accordingly. For this reason, public road traffic must be consolidated as much as possible.

Objectively there shouldn't be any problem, but even so, would not such approach highlight economic disparity problem even more than before? It must be very stressful for a lot of upper-middle-class people, not being able to drive freely.

"What about say, business?"

"Commercial trucks and bikes weren't counted as personal commuting vehicles. Taxis are restricted in numbers, but they got the tax break regardless."

A world without taxi services, now that would be a giant nightmare, especially in a country where personal ownerships of commuting vehicles were restricted.

"Us elite students were granted a special exception." I.B. slapped Hachiman's bike, "Because only the member of special class granted real combat mission as the second year. Cos we're individually stronger than entire police squadron, you see? Mwahahaha!"

"I see." Hachiman winced.

"I've heard from the Police Chief." Hiratsuka said as she lit a cigarette and began smoking, "You routed the horde so the defensive line can hold, you really saved a lot of people."

"Only a fraction of it." Hachiman made a pinching gesture, "The police line held very well with the first wave, but suddenly like 50 Kobolds came from the north, and I thought I can slow them down..."

But Hachiman ended up swamped because he had absolutely no knowledge of fighting seriously. That's why he could never blame it on Yui, Yui's order was for Hachiman to cover her back.

Yui probably blamed herself for it, which is why Hachiman was so restless. He couldn't even mull the fact that he lived in an entirely different world than he knew before.

Even if she's the different Yuigahama than the one he knew, he can't bear to see her crying face any longer.

And then there's her feeling to consider.

_I wonder... what kind of person this world's Hikigaya Hachiman was, and why Yuigahama likes him so much?_

If nothing else, it can't be out of guilt and regret. Hachiman once made that mistake of assuming those kinds of feelings from the Yuigahama he knew. Of course, the fact that this world's Hachiman lost his leg was something to consider.

But once again, Hachiman never sensed anything resembles pity. If anything, this world Yuigahama was super desperate to even try and seduce him in his bedroom.

_I'm dealing with a war of annihilation, why are we still being preoccupied with this?!_

"Hikigaya, you look super tense, why?"

"I'm pretty sure he's thinking about Yuigahama now." I.B. elbowed him mischievously, "You two DID get interrupted by that battle after all."

"I see, my bad about that!" Hiratsuka shouted, "Damn it, you should go out already."

Hachiman popped a vein in response, "That would be deceiving Yuigahama, don't you think?"

"Woah, this grumpiness really is overwhelming." I.B. winced, "But it DOES sound like what you would say either way."

?

"Let's agree like this then, you don't take advantage of Yuigahama's advances for a while but also shouldn't drive her away." I.B. proposed, "But if she's persistent enough, it means the current you are also fine to her."

Hachiman wasn't sure how that works since he was very sure that his personality would drive away people in disgust anyway.

"What, pretend that nothing changed at all?"

"No, you face her head-on as yourself." Hiratsuka said, "As long as there's no pretense, as long as you treat her with honesty, then it shouldn't be a problem. Yuigahama isn't some stupid girl thirsty for a summer fling, you know."

"Yeah, that's more mommy's thing." I.B. smugly remarked, "Especially in the third year when-"

Hiratsuka smacked I.B. hard by the head in anger to stop her from talking. Looks like Hachiman was wrong about Hiratsuka being abusive to boys only. It's just that none of the girls he knew before were especially rebellious, to begin with.

Rather than mother and child, aren't they more like sisters?

"Listen, Hikigaya. You're already preoccupied with putting yourself in life and death battles, your own family, and there's also future occupation to consider. Compared to that, romance and friendship are a trivial matter."

...Hachiman felt something was off, and then finally realized what was so different about them. Pushy as she could be, the old Hiratsuka would never recklessly push anyone so blatantly.

"I'll call you later, you can go anywhere as long as you're on school grounds," Hiratsuka told them and left.

"Shit, why wouldn't she admit it anyway." I.B. shed tears as she rubbed her aching head, "She even used TPE to hit me."

"Are you alright?" Hachiman asked, "That's a bit too much, isn't it?"

"Well... I'm technically a Trans-phase entity, so brute forces wouldn't hurt at all. There was this one time when I got hit by a truck and flew several meters and end up unscratched!"

"An encounter with Truck-kun? Anyone else will probably be sent into another world that way." Hachiman chuckled. It's like one of his Isekai light novels! "But it could always get worse, like getting transmigrated while fuckin asleep."

I.B. squeezed her eyes, "Really? I thought most human beings want to die peacefully in their sleep."

"Most people do."

"And you don't?"

"...I don't know. Most humans don't like to die young, so they don't think about it." Hachiman sneered. "I'm no exception."

"Wha, really? With that grumpiness, I wouldn't know." I.B. grinned maniacally.

"Hey, there are a lot of things I enjoyed in the old world. Like all the light novels, manga, books, and games I like." Hachiman pointed. "I have cute little sister, upper-middle-class parents, and... uh... friends, too."

Well, it's fine to consider Saika that, at least, maybe Zaimokuza too?

"Then it's alright, you have all of them here and some too." I.B. laughed, "Not to mention a beautiful girl with a giant crush on you."

"It's not me who she crushes against." Hachiman said, "But really, I.B., you're the only one taking my explanation at face value, thank you."

Even Hiratsuka still doesn't believe Hachiman at all, but I.B. was the only one who believed in him.

"Despite not understanding human values in full, I'm actually super sensitive to changes in people around me..." I.B. said with a hint of sadness. "I can feel your emotional distance, to be honest."

From Hachiman's point of view, I.B. was nothing more than a stranger he lives with. So for a sensitive entity who considered him a father of some sort, it must be painful.

"...I'm sorry."

Hachiman rarely if ever apologized, but when he does, he meant it.

...

Faced Hachiman was an ashen-haired woman somewhere in the early twenties. She looked at him with a friendly smile, but Hachiman could only sense unending terror.

Hachiman could never miss such a judgmental stare, and now that he got accustomed to TPE, his senses only sharpened. This woman inspected him the very moment he stepped inside. And not only that, she used TPE to do it.

It wasn't so much as pressure, and more like a small ripple in the air.

"This is Hoshina, she's a specialist in intelligence and Trans-Phase psychology. Her special skill is mind-reading."

"Hello, Hikigaya-kun." Hoshina smiled, "Nice to meet you."

"Umm, yes." Hachiman widened his eyes.

"This is not our first meeting at all. In fact, we meet very often during your rehabilitation in the first year." Hoshina explained, "The fact that you're completely at a loss, it was rather telling."

Just from that first glance?!

"He didn't even remember his therapist." Hiratsuka looked incredibly anxious, "Are you kidding me?"

"_See, you still don't believe me at all!_" Hachiman mentally screamed.

"It's fine, my specialty isn't just mind-reading but also memory strengthening." Hoshina said, "Please take the reclining seat and relax."

Oh ho, mind-probing time.

This wasn't even remotely surprising to Hachiman in the slightest. After Yuigahama's display of telekinesis, mind-reading isn't that farfetched of an idea.

As a matter of fact, it was part of Hachiman's gambit. If his memory doesn't have any gaps in it, then it would be hard to explain everything as memory manipulation.

"Please sit on the reclining chair and relax, this could be very well embarrassing, but please bear with it..." Hoshina said as she covered Hachiman's eyes with a damp towel and put on an aromatic oil vaporizer nearby.

What the hell is this, massage clinic?

Still, Hachiman could feel that his consciousness started to fade. Aside from some weird static, his mind was at complete peace.

"Wake up, Hikigaya-kun."

Hachiman opened his eyes again and removed the towel from his face.

"Is everything alright?"

Hiratsuka and I.B. tried their hardest to hold their laughter.

"Yes, I displayed some of your key memories in that monitor over there." Hoshina pointed at the screen on the wall, from Hachiman's side of POV, a picture of orange-haired Yuigahama Yui and silky black-haired Yukinoshita sitting across the long table in the service club room.

Hachiman screamed internally.

"Let's see, your main problem at the moment is... you lost all conscious knowledge related to fighting, correct?" Hiratsuka asked, "But you can offhandedly use guns and even your inherent skill of using pocket space?"

"Yes." Hachiman nodded, "I wonder if it's something that called muscle memory. I mean... I know it's not really stored in muscles but rather the cerebellum, so it may be something I inherited."

"You're actually a smart guy, huh." Hiratsuka was surprised.

"Hikigaya-kun's assessment isn't incorrect." Hoshina remarked, "Hikigaya-kun, do you mind sparring with Hiratsuka-sensei for a while?"

"Ack!"

Hiratsuka was scary enough as an ordinary Civil servant, a combat veteran Hiratsuka would be downright terrifying.

"From what I understand, you learned Judo somewhere between early to late July and participated in the tournament as well." Hoshina smiled, "The fever you experienced yesterday was caused by the dissonance between your cerebrum and cerebellum. So with regular balanced physical exercise, the better it would be for the health of your mind."

"I understand."

"Good, now switch to this tracksuit." Hiratsuka said, "This tracksuit is lined with kevlar, like racing suits."

Wow, it must be durable. Hachiman grabbed it and stretched it. "I used this in the previous battle as well. Is it bulletproof or something?"

"No. But it's slash-resistant, and to some degree even resist spalling."

Hachiman did remember almost getting butchered and blown up by Kobolds, and for the most part, he was fine. It must be the strength of the tracksuit coupled with TPE augmentation that protected him from minor cuts and explosion injuries.

"If you're that afraid of Hiratsika-sensei, you can just join the other students who came for supplementary training." Hoshina shrugged, "I'm pretty sure they're in the gym at the moment."

"Supplementary training?"

"It's technically summer vacation, but if you're that lazy and spend all your vacation idling, you're just asking for early death!" I.B. said as she yanked Hachiman's hand. "So those without summer vacation plan end up going to school to train anyway."

Even though he was holding hands with a girl, Hachiman didn't feel flustered at all. Maybe part of his subconscious recognized her as a family, and that's why he feels somewhat comfortable.

If only for his own sake, he should get to know about the mysterious book-girl more.

"But only students of the elite class get to fight this early, right? I mean, as a second year and all."

"That might be true. But do you think the third years are just going to sit on their ass, doing nothing?" I.B. asked.

"True."

Whereas ordinary high school students probably too busy preparing for college entrance, the third years of Soubu already deployed in limited fight and skirmishes.

In this kind of setting, Hachiman expected that a select few students would be especially strong. And if Hachiman didn't hear wrong, he was part of the elite class as well.

He wonders, what about the others? In his class, there are paltry 12 students. And that included I.B., who is not human in the first place.

All of which he recognized and got involved with before, except for Sagami.

"Speaking of which, the elite class..."

"Our class is the strongest in Soubu's history." I.B. said, "12 super-elite students, and three A-Rank in a class. Even the government is legitimately terrified."

So part of the second year super elite: Yukinoshita Yukino, Yuigahama Yui, Hayama Hayato, Miura Yumiko, Ebina Hina, Tobe Kakeru, Kawasaki Saki, Zaimokuza Yoshiteru, Totsuka Saika, Sagami Minami, and finally, Hikigaya Hachiman, and I.B.

(The last one isn't like the others, eh?)

"The three A-Rank in our class, would that include Yuigahama?"

"Yes." I.B. grinned. "She's also one of the few in history to jump from B-Rank to A-Rank in just a year, that's why her hair turned bright pink."

_"So Yuigahama is weird even for this world's standard, huh. Just how hard she worked..."_

* * *

**ヴァルハラロマンス ****\- ****不可解**  
**Valhalla Romance - Cryptical**

Original Story by: Watari Wataru  
Written by: ZeroXSEED

* * *

**Chapter 3 - And so, his peaceful, idyllic life is gone (Part 3)**

* * *

Hachiman's question was answered very much immediately as soon as they arrived in the gymnasium.

Yuigahama made a firm stance with her shoulders and feet apart, her blue eyes sharp and vicious. Faced her was Yamato, which in his own memory, was part of Hayato and Yui's own groupie.

This was an awful matchup.

Yukinoshita used Aikido techniques to surpass the gender gap and body disadvantage in the Judo tournament, but Yui used a different fighting stance.

Yamato didn't hesitate to punch in the direction of Yui's face, which almost made Hachiman's heart stopped. However, Yui slapped his fist aside so it would miss her face.

Then she hooked her elbow under his chin, while at the same time swept Yamato's leg by the back of his knee. The way Yui threw the much larger boy to the floor was sickening.

And Yui ended it with a stomp to the floor beside his head. Had the stomp connected, it would be very gruesome. Especially since Yui was wearing military boots at the time, like other students.

"The fuck?" Hachiman blurted out in shock. That was no martial arts, that was literally a killing move. The other students weren't exactly gentle with each other, either.

"Exactly." I.B. winked, "Working hard as always, Gahama-chan!"

"Ah, hey! I.B. and Hikki are here too!" Yui's murderous gaze turned soft and shiny, as usual. "Care to join us, I.B.?"

Hachiman noticed that Yui literally didn't bother to ask him, just how weak do Yui think the original Hachiman was?

"You seem concerned if you're that bothered you should join too." I.B. made an OK sign, "She doesn't know you replaced the old Hachiman after all."

_Ah, that makes sense, but still..._

"I'm going to stretch a bit." Hachiman went to the edge of the Gym. He began basic stretching that he learned in the Judo class, which was his electives of choice.

Yuigahama, who was drenched in sweat, decided to also leave the sparring area and approached him.

"It's rare to see you around here, Hikki." Yui grinned happily, "Ah, not that there's anything wrong with that."

Hachiman would say seeing her here was more shocking to him, but that would be too suspicious. "Is that so?"

"Yeah, you always be like... humans evolved to use tools, why are we studying unarmed combat?" Yui put a strange face, which resembled his own expression, except with a shit-eating grin.

It was clear that the old Hachiman... he was bluffing, and considered hand-to-hand a pain in the ass. And the current him doesn't like it either, he did it purely for his own health.

Hachiman wondered, considering I.B. used swords a lot, the old Hachiman probably know kendo or something.

"Hey, Hikki." Yui snapped her fingers, and two toy knives and goggles came. "Wanna spar a bit?"

"Nerf knives, huh." Hachiman pinched the blade and realized it was made of semi-rigid foam. Even kids wouldn't get hurt by them unless they got poked on the eye, thus the reason to wear goggles. "Please be gentle."

Still, for whatever reason... Hachiman felt a sense of familiarity with holding a knife, and not in a cooking way. Did the old Hachiman also learn how to use a combat knife?

Yui smiled.

Then she disappeared from his sight.

_Fuck. _Hachiman almost spoke out loud and slid aside to dodge a neck stab courtesy of Yui, who showed up right behind him with yandere-like eyes.

Scary, but Hachiman wasn't sure if it was the adrenaline or something else, he felt somewhat excited.

The intensity of Hachiman and Yuigahama's sparring caught everyone's attention, and they stopped fighting among themselves to give a room for these two.

"Is that Hikigaya?"

"No way! I thought he was super weak?!"

Their arms and wrists collided as they closed their distance to an uncomfortably intimate way. Yui kept her expression as she pressed on, trying for a kill, while Hachiman was scared shitless.

"Go for it, Yuigahama!"

"Hikigaya! Keep defending! Retreat! Retreat!"

It was clear that his body remembered very well, despite his consciousness drawing a blank. In terms of defense, he would not lose in a knife fight, as long as he maintained a focus.

However, counterattacking is another story. No matter how much Hachiman tried to stab her, Yui left absolutely no opening and broke his momentum right away.

It was clear that Yui didn't put all of her efforts, but still find it challenging. It was basically a game of tag. Whoever managed to stab the other person win.

Then he got stabbed right on the solar plexus. It was a minor pain, but he still coughed out of reflex and fell on his back.

"You died." Yui cutely tilted her head and offered him a hand.

"I want someone to play Sibelius at my funeral." Hachiman deadpanned, and grabbed her hand. "Give me a break."

I.B. whistled at them as the spectator exploded into a collective cheer.

"My bad about that, anyone who can help me practice Judo?" Hachiman asked.

"Sure!"

Hachiman was swamped by a group of boys who were there for the hell of it. Since judo, while not a soft contact sport by any metric, still a little milder than the military martial arts they practiced minutes before.

It seems that the old Hachiman was completely crap in hand-to-hand combat. The current Hachiman had to rely on his augmented memory of his elective gym class.

Needless to say... Even with his enhanced reflex and applying the mad footwork that he used to deal with Yuigahama, it wasn't easy at all for him to win in brutal grappling matches.

But nevertheless, he perseveres and won several bouts despite that.

Yui watched the scene with absolute shock and disbelief, "I'm... going to buy some drinks for him."

I.B. stopped her from running, "Yuigahama, you realized it too?"

"I thought something was wrong with him." Yui's voice wavered with fear and uncertainty. "What happened to him, I.B.?"

"About that, I'm not in the liberty to say." I.B. shrugged, "Ask my mom if you want, she should be in Hoshina-san's office."

Yui lost her patience and didn't even bother walking to her destination. Instead, she outright flies her way with her sheer telekinesis power.

She knocked on the door aloud. "Excuse me."

"Enter."

Yui immediately entered the door and find Hiratsuka and Hoshina looked at the screen, which shows the feed from security cameras inside the gym.

"Oh, Yuigahama! Thanks for the hard work." Hiratsuka waved. "You want to join us, watching?"

"No, uh..."

Seeing both teachers looked so complacent and lax... Yui's feelings of panic subsided. And so did her rushed determination, to find out what happened.

"Sharp and concise as always, Yuigahama-san." Hoshina remarked, "What do you think about Hikigaya-san?"

"Hikki... he..." Yui gulped, "Did his trauma got cured?"

"Cured? Well, from a certain point of view... that might be true." Hiratsuka nodded in approval when he saw Hachiman grappled with another boy intensely as they struggle to get a lock.

"It's more like his trauma got erased... along with a good chunk of his memories, that is." Hoshina sighed.

"Eh?"

Yui's eyes shrunk from the sheer shock.

"Don't worry! Hikigaya recognized you, did he not?" Hiratsuka assured her.

Well, except for I.B. and a good chunk of Soubu teachers, but that's not really relevant at the moment.

"Well, he did! But..."

Yui just reminded of his odd reaction yesterday, when he asked Yui about her hair. And then there's also his reaction to the content of summer homework, or Yui's telekinesis on that matter.

But more than just that, the way Hikigaya Hachiman behaved was also off.

"Rest assured, Hikigaya probably won't have problem resuming daily life. But the problem was his combat ability got shafted by more than half. His knowledge of military maneuver and tactics, offensive approach in close combat, along with his knowledge of blacklight magic..."

Hoshina made a poofing gesture, and it made Yui terrified.

That was the reason why, Hachiman got swarmed by Kobolds, and not because of his earlier fever.

"Though on the plus side, it seems that he lost his trauma." Hiratsuka smiled, "Don't you think that's a good thing?"

"That's true." Hoshina agreed.

There was one thing that Hiratsuka and others hid from Hachiman.

The original Hikigaya Hachiman... had PTSD with close combat since the incident that cost him his leg. That's why he shaped his entire combat skill with guns in mind, so he can always deal with enemies from a safe distance.

Hachiman abandoned melee combat for one and half-year since that incident, but his subconscious still remembered how.

This Hachiman doesn't have such a problem at all. Hence, he can face Yui in a knife fight, and also fight other boys in the judo matches without freaking out.

"I see... so it's like that." Yui sighed, "Then, please excuse me."

But for some reason, she could only feel uneasy.

"Wait, Yuigahama." Hiratsuka stopped her, "I know it's hard for you but... his change of attitude, personality, and even feelings... it's hard enough to think fo him as the same person, but he will need all the support we can provide."

"I understand..." Yui said without looking back and then left the office.

It was subtle, but both teachers noticed as Yui's tears dropped inside the quiet office.

"That's a bit too harsh, isn't it?" Hoshina asked, annoyed. "You could put it more gently, Hiratsuka-senpai."

"Yuigahama didn't go this far being treated gently." Hiratsuka said with a cold expression, "Yuigahama grew from a doormat crybaby into one of the strongest, well-respected student in Soubu in just a year."

"Speaking of which your hypothesis turned to be true." Hiratsuka pointed, "Hikigaya really lost his trauma."

"I'm surprised as much as you are." Hoshina nodded, "When someone experienced deep-seated trauma, this trauma literally rewrite the structure of their hypothalamus."

Hypothalamus, a small almond-sized organ located in the brain... possessed myriads of vital functions. And fear management being one of them.

"Because of this reason, it's incredibly difficult for us to 'cure' such trauma permanently. We can remove or mitigate the symptom, but permanent cure yet thought to be impossible at the moment."

"So, his entire Cerebral structure got altered." Hiratsuka nodded. "And his hypothalamus isn't an exception..."

"With our rate of advancement, thanks to TPE research, such a method of complete memory alteration isn't in the realm of impossibility. But we're not quite there yet."

"And even if such technology was readily available, Hikigaya was with I.B. the entire time. There's not enough time gap for such a process to take place without any of us knowing." Hoshina pointed. "How mysterious."

...

Yui immediately flies to the nearby vending machine to buy a couple of sports drinks, that she shook hard using her telekinesis to warm it up to near body temperature.

Yui went back to the Gymnasium.

"Hikki." Yui put it on his cheek playfully. "Here!"

"...Thanks." Hachiman smiled slightly. "It's warm."

"Cold drink is bad for the body, especially during heavy exercise." Yui lectured him. "At least have it at room temperature!"

"Okay."

For a moment, Yui and I.B. exchanged a sad smile with each other when their eyes meet.

"Hey, Hikki. Want me teach you the way of knives?" Yui jokingly asked as she floated midair, cross-legged, like a caricature of a Buddha, and surrounded by eight military knives.

"Really?" Hachiman questioned, somewhat suspicious.

To be honest, Hachiman's judgmental, sharp, and eerie gaze hurt Yui somewhat. It was worse than what she remembered, and more so now that he no longer pretend to be happy and confident all the time.

Nevertheless, she didn't lose her smile as she landed with her feet extended.

"Of course, after all. I'm still better than you at this." Yui confidently answered. "Unless you want to chicken out again?"

"A-again?" That caught Hachiman off guard. "Sure, then you should teach me."

Yui had decided that... even if Hiratsuka-sensei was right, she would learn what kind of person the current Hachiman is, with her own eyes.

Whether her broken love will be rejuvenated, or wither in time remains to be told.


	4. Chapter 4

"Happy birthday to you!"

Hachiman felt like, compared to monsters and ESP powers, this situation was a lot more unbelievable. Hachiman didn't expect that someone will celebrate his birthday.

Actually, it's not just someone. A small group of people came in to celebrate his birthday, courtesy of the very awkward 8th August, thus an early summer vacation.

This never happened as long as he remembers. Hell, his own family rarely celebrates it. Not even his beloved little sister Komachi celebrate it with a party!

Instead, Hachiman now has five guests coming to celebrate, enough that he could only feel overwhelmed.

I.B. was at Hiratsuka's place, but they already congratulated him beforehand.

"For the record, I came here in a hurry, so I didn't bring any present..." Sagami said as a matter of fact, but Hachiman honestly didn't care, with how blatant she didn't care about him.

It was crystal clear that their relationship... or rather the relationship between Sagami and the old Hachiman can be summed up with 'a friend of a friend.'

"You never told us your birthday at all, I'm pretty sure Yuigahama groveled for the info, too." Kawasaki, in her usual aloof appearance, also said.

"Then she dragged us out during training... because she's embarrassed about coming alone." Sagami gleefully pointed.

"Don't say it loud!"

That's legitimately surprising, so even this world's Hachiman didn't celebrate his birthday either? That said, Hachiman did remember he told the member of Service Club the exact dates, then chicken out when Yui proposed to celebrate it.

I.B. told him to cook a shit ton of snacks for the occasion, and he almost didn't believe it.

"Ehhh?" Saika, in his always everloving innocence and kindness, hummed in surprise. "But you told us, Hachiman!"

"That's right!" A strange, lean but muscular young man who claims to be Zaimokuza said. "You told us, your eternal comrade in arms."

Zaimokuza honestly doesn't look that different in terms of general appearance. He still had those stupid-looking grin and small eyes on a somewhat rounded face. It's just that him not being comically overweight made a distinct impression.

Zaimokuza, as he is now, is a peak fitness personification. It was because of his trans-phase power of oscillation would rapidly burn his fat in battle and training. Thus Zaimokuza burned off his extra weight in the past few months since his personal ability awakened.

As for Saika, aside from slightly more toned and athletic, there's really not much difference in appearance at all. He still remains the sweet cute little boy he was, as before, and Hachiman was really thankful for it.

Finding Saika relatively unchanged in appearance, but especially in personality, felt like an oasis in the middle of the desert.

Instead of tennis, it seems that Saika took fencing. Like a white prince, the image of Saika wielding a Rapier was absolutely dignified. And Hachiman wasn't alone with this opinion.

Hachiman wasn't entirely sure why, but he resolved to bluff. "Well, I don't want to make things awkward. And a bunch of guys hanging out, its a lot less embarrassing, no?"

After all, it's common sense with most girls that aren't super normie like Miura or the original Yuigahama too. They don't celebrate their birthday with guys who aren't especially close to them.

"Told you, he'll get pissed..." Sagami whispered to Yui, but just loud enough that Hachiman would overhear. Yui herself shifted bright red, realizing that her stubbornness recoiled badly.

...Why he had the feeling Sagami just in for something else? Kawasaki was 'his' teammate during the first formal deployment in June, after all, so that one at least makes sense. Kawasaki definitely one of the girls in the class that the old Hachiman is on speaking terms with, just like Hachiman with the Kawasaki he remembered and helped back then.

Hachiman heard the bell and saw a delivery guy in the front, Hachiman opened it. "Delivery for Hikigaya Hachiman, correct?" He asked.

"Yes, where do I sign?"

"Please enjoy the cake!" The delivery guys smiled and left. It must be his mother ordering it.

Just as soon as Hachiman entered the living room, the bell rang again. Hachiman was super confused, but he put the cake box on the table, before returning.

This time it was a suspicious man who looks like Japanese Agent Smith (Matrix).

"Sorry, we don't accept Salesman here!" Hachiman said aloud.

"Your mother ordered this, so please confirm with her."

"OK." Hachiman pulled his phone and called, "Hello, mother? There are a bunch of suspicious people outside."

"[It's 2 Million yen worth of military arsenal we obtained recently for your birthday. So get them signed before the entire neighborhood notice.]"

Hachiman put a palm on his face in frustration. For military spending, that number was literally peanuts. In the old world, Hachiman read once that Japan Self Defense Force had a 5.1 trillion yen budget per year.

Even so, was that really something that can be mentioned so offhandedly, especially with his parents reframing it as a birthday present? Ordinarily, he would get a cake, 1000 yen note and that's it!

Hachiman walked outside and noticed multiple military crates nearby. He signed the documents required. At this point in time, he literally had to keep his sanity intact and not check whatever content of the case out of curiosity.

"I think I need a bigger bed..." Hachiman remarked, those crates definitely not going to fit under his bed and will go into the proper storage room. In a basement that doesn't exist in the old house that he remembered.

Hachiman was slightly sweaty when he came inside and finished moving around.

"What took you so long, Hachiman?" Zaimokuza asked, concerned.

"Hikki, you're sweating." Yui handed him a clean towel, which makes him embarrassed but accepted it anyway.

"My mother sent me an armory worth of weapons, again..." Hachiman said. "She said it's 2 million yen in total."

"2 Million? Lame." Sagami remarked dismissively.

Hachiman looked at her with complete disbelief. Yui, who realized something was off, decided to intervene.

"Ah, yeah, Hikki is lucky. Since he has near-perfect TPE control, he can use normal people's weapons without any problem."

"That's the opposite of me!" Zaimokuza said. "My strength is so godly and untamed that weapons of mortal origin no longer have value in my hand!"

Hachiman would have thought Zaimokuza want to use Katana or something to channel his chuunibyou.

Let it be said that Hikigaya Hachiman is allergic to praise.

"Nah." Hachiman said, "It's just that I have mediocre TPE intensity, so TPE overload is not something I would experience even with normal guns."

"What, really?" Kawasaki raised her eyebrows. "So you bluffed on us when you said, 'I only want to rely on the power of human science and engineering'?"

_The hell?_

"I remember that too." Sagami pointed. "Hikigaya said he doesn't trust alien material at all."

_Whoa, whoa wait. What's with all the seemingly realistic bluff? That's kind of scary! _That's exactly something that second-year middle school Hachiman would say! And considering it was clear that this world's Hachiman never grew up out of his chuunibyou phase...

"One explanation doesn't contradict the other." Hachiman rolled his eyes away. "I did get into an accident with Alien artifact in the first year after all. Of course, I would be wary of them."

"Hmm, yeah. You were absent for a couple of weeks, and that was the story behind your cyborg's leg." Saika agreed.

As Hachiman understood, he and Saika, just like in the previous world, were classmates since the first year. However, unlike back then, this world's Hachiman already friends with Saika since the beginning.

Hachiman managed to spare some time to do foundation reading on TPE, and aside from unique skill, a TPE user can be measured by three factors.

TPE intensity, TPE output, and TPE capacity. Through TPE output decide someone's ability rank, the two other factors can be just as important.

TPE output is simply the amount of power someone can put out at any time, it's raw strength in it's barest form. However, if someone wants to focus that strength into a precision strike, TPE intensity is what they want.

TPE intensity isn't something that can be increased easily. Unlike TPE output and Capacity, TPE intensity is more of innate talent.

When it comes to controlling skill, the ability to lower and maintain a consistent TPE intensity is actually something that requires training and focus.

The problem is that when TPE became too intense, the weapon system in one's hand may shatter. Thus, extremely tough material that exceeds conventional metallurgy must be used for someone with naturally high TPE intensity to use their full potential.

Material harvested from trans-dimensional creatures can be used in their place. Such materials are rare and cannot be obtained easily in the market, their cost is tremendous.

The cost of correctly outfitting someone like Sagami and everyone in the B-ranks is frightening, easily in the order of millions.

For someone like Hachiman, who had relatively modest TPE intensity, he doesn't really have the need to use a custom special weapon made of otherwordly materials. As for his output, Hachiman isn't really that much inferior to other B-ranks. Thus, the answer to that problem is to use a bigger gun.

* * *

**ヴァルハラロマンス ****\- ****不可解**  
**Valhalla Romance - Cryptical**

Original Story by: Watari Wataru  
Written by: ZeroXSEED

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**Chapter 4 - And so, his peaceful, idyllic life is gone (Part 4)**

* * *

"Blow the candle, Hachiman!" Saika said as he put the candles on the birthday cake. Hachiman wonder if everyone deliberately ignored how Hachiman's mother misspelled his name, again.

Yui snapped her fingers, and a burning match flew nearby to light them up.

Hachiman doesn't know what he wished, to be honest. Going back? Was that really what he wanted? Why? Unfinished business?

Hachiman had none. At least, none that he remembered.

What was that Hachiman wished?

He wished to understand, why did he come here. He wanted to know about the familiar strangers surrounding him. After that, maybe he's content going home.

He also wished that, instead of dying, maybe the other Hachiman can replace him in the mundane world until both of them can return to the place they belong.

Hachiman wasn't exceptionally religious. And he doesn't think that's too selfish for a prayer. It's not as if he wanted to stay here forever.

And so he blew the candlelight.

Hachiman came into the conclusion that even a real, celebrated birthday is absolutely cringe-worthy and glad that he never celebrated it in the past.

"Are you sure? We didn't bring any gift, you know?" Kawasaki asked in concern. As always, she's a good girl inside.

"I got a cake that's larger than usual, so I need people to eat it either way." Hachiman pointed at Zaimokuza. "Or else I'll just give it to him."

Sagami and Kawasaki winced, didn't even know what to say.

"Well, here's our present." Zaimokuza and Saika both gave him a book. "Signed copy of your favorite novel!"

"Whoa, thank you." Hachiman didn't recognize the novel at all. But if nothing else, he was thankful for it.

He wondered if it's best to tell them the truth. Still, telling them that today would be the absolute worst timing. Hachiman decided before that he will follow I.B.'s advice and confront them as he is now rather than pretending he's Hachiman of the old.

Faking it... would be far crueler, and unfair, for everyone involved.

"This is from me!" Yui handed out a tactical weapon case, though of small size to Hachiman. Such cases, if he wasn't wrong, often used to store pistols safely.

Hachiman opened it to notice there are two combat knives inside.

"What are those?"

"Arsenal RS-1 knife guns, based on the original Grad Knives." Yui lifted one with her power, and then it's handle clacked open, revealed revolver mechanism inside. "It's holding a 22 revolver inside."

Hachiman isn't even gun enthusiast and wondering if that's the stupidest thing ever. Brings a new meme to the sentence of bringing a knife to a gunfight, doesn't it?

"That sounds stupid." Kawasaki brought facts into the limelight, as expected. "No offense."

"No offense taken." Yui winced, but it was clear that she was hurt.

"To be fair, Hayama-kun has a gun blade." Sagami pointed. "It's not like we're fighting against other human beings."

That's a valid point.

"Either way, it looks expensive. I'm not sure what I can do to pay it back..."

"This much was nothing!" Yui said to him with a saddened face. "After all, you gave me irreplaceable treasures on my birthday."

Irreplaceable treasures?

Yui brought out a pair of ornamental knives, with black blades and silvery edges. When she channeled her TPE, the knives were covered in blacklight.

Same as I.B.'s?!

As far as Hachiman understood, blacklight creation and manipulation are something very peculiar and related to Inverse Bible, so he assumed the knives were part of or related to the book somehow.

The previous Hachiman probably gave it to Yui for a good reason, maybe he actually had a crush on her? If they're already in a relationship, then surely Hiratsuka will tell the current Hachiman about the situation.

"These suits me better, anyway!" Hachiman said as he pulled out both Grad knives and twirled them playfully. "Real steel with real guns inside."

"Umm, Hachiman, you're going to use it?" Zaimokuza asked.

"Sure, why not?" Hachiman threw the knives into his pocket space.

Saika didn't seem to be concerned, at least.

Zaimokuza, on the other hand, suddenly became quiet and awkward. Hachiman wondered if there's a problem that he somehow overlooked...

"I shall recuse myself to the bathroom a bit." Zaimokuza stood up and left.

Hachiman had decided, if there's anyone who deserves to know, it would definitely be Zaimokuza. Besides, Zaimokuza definitely will believe it.

"Ah, Hikki, you're studying?" Yui asked when she saw a pile of books at the corner.

"Doing your homework?" Kawasaki asked.

"No. I have finished my homework." Hachiman said with a flat face.

Sagami almost chocked on her juice. "Seriously? We're not even two weeks into the vacation!"

"Yuigahama finished too." Hachiman pointed at the pink-haired girl. "You girls are just lazy. Right, guys?"

Hachiman looked at Saika and Zaimokuza, who just returned... and they looked away, whistling.

"_Shit, I guess we're the nerd here, huh._" Hachiman mentally grumbled.

"I'm about 3/4 done, and I thought I was straining myself." Kawasaki chided. "Yuigahama at least went to school to train, are you holing up here like a hermit or what?"

"I planned to do just that, problem?" Hachiman cockily crossed his arms and grinned.

Sagami wondered what the hell Yui likes from this studious moron. Still, Hachiman wasn't really lying, it seems that he's reading gun manuals and military documents about firearms at the moment.

Hachiman realized that he can't rely on just his muscle memory anymore.

"Yuigahama, I made a mistake during the previous deployment, too!" Hachiman said. "I didn't use Mk.211, but instead M1022."

"Wha, really?! No wonder!" Yui gasped.

The other four students raised a collective sign of imaginary question marks in response.

"Let us explain to them, Yuigahama..." Hachiman said.

"M1022 is a sniper and long-distance training ammunition designed to achieve extreme accuracy, it maintained the speed of sounds to 1500-1600 meters. However, since it's made of solid lead, it's not exceptionally deadlier than standard ammunition."

"Mk.211 is made of several components. So, not only it penetrated armor much better, but it also caused burning and explosive effect on impact." Yui added. "It is designed to take on light armored cars and helicopters, so it's very effective against lightly armored giant monsters."

"M1022s have a green tip, while Mk.211s have a green tip with a grey ring." Hachiman pulled a pair of bullets from his pocket space, each of them as thick as his index finger, and a little longer.

Kawasaki and Sagami both looked absolutely horrified, while Saika and Zaimokuza looked excited.

"SO HUGE!"

"Well yeah, welcome to the world of mortals and enjoy your stay!" Hachiman said sarcastically.

"I'll never shit on the C-rankers ever again..." Sagami muttered.

"_You shouldn't do that anyway._" Hachiman mentally remarked. Hachiman wondered if the reason why this world's Hachiman was so happy was that he was part of the elite caste.

"You shouldn't do that, Sagami-san!" Saika chastised her openly. "Just because they're a bit unlucky, you shouldn't bully them like that!"

"Please, Yui-chan here climbed all the way from B-rank to A-rank in 1 year, they're just lazy and need motivation." Sagami jibed.

"Eugh, that's true!" Saika cringed. "We're getting complacent again!"

"_Dude, why are you arguing against her in the first place?_" Hachiman wondered.

"Well, since I didn't plan for this Birthday 'party', I didn't prepare anything. It must be boring..." Hachiman said matter-of-factly.

"Let's play some games or watch something then." Saika proposed.

"Ehh? What kind of shows you like to watch, anyway?" Sagami asked. "Totsuka likes Horror, don't you?"

"Well. I'm partially into horror films, you see." Saika smiled. "It's always fascinating to see what kind of monsters and ghosts they're thinking! Ah, but I don't really like gore to be honest."

"You prefer the more subtle and abstract threats, right?" Sagami nodded. "Like Sadako."

Fascinating to laugh at the stupidity of characters, perhaps. But Hachiman doesn't have the heart to say that aloud. Also, Hachiman was surprised that Saika likes horror.

"I'll see what I have then. Anyone mind horror?" Hachiman asked it wasn't really his favorite genre in the slightest. But it was crystal clear that he's biased in favor of Saika at the moment.

Yui can't help but pout. "You didn't even ask us..."

Hachiman wonder if Yui was mad because he picked horror, or picked Saika's favorite genre. Ever since that day, the first time he woke up, he's been extremely conscious of her presence.

And Yui will stay for a while until his family came from their vacation trip at the very least.

"Horror is a bit..." Kawasaki flinched.

"Hmm? SakiSaki doesn't like horror?" Yui asked.

"Yeah. I don't like it, but whatever."

_Oh, acting tough now, Kawasaki?_ Hachiman wondered. People's interest doesn't always follow stereotypes, after all.

A lot of people delve into a hobby because it's exciting. There are also online gamers who have entirely different behavior in-game because of fresh experience.

The seating arrangement is-

Yui went to the nearby wall between windows. She opened a hidden panel in the wall and inputted security codes. Suddenly, solid steel shutters descended and covered the windows. It made the room somewhat dimmer until Yui turned on the lights.

"Wow, Yui even knew where the blast shutter control is. How are you two not married yet?" Sagami snarked.

No, Hachiman doesn't know the answer to that question either. Why HAVEN'T Yuigahama and the Old Hachiman going out yet?! Is this what it's like to experience romance comedy from the perspective of a third person?

"Umm, Hikki's mother told us just in case of an emergency! That's why!" Yui said, embarrassed.

"This is not an emergency, though." Kawasaki pointed, seriously stiffened from fear.

"Eyyy, where's your sense of adventure, Kawasaki-dono?!" Zaimokuza stylishly flicked his glasses, shined as it reflected the lights from the tv screen that Hachiman turned on prior.

The seating arrangement is-

Yui immediately snuggled between Zaimokuza and Hachiman, the former of which didn't seem to mind as she did. On the other hand, Hachiman very much minds, especially about a pair of soft objects that keep touching him.

Not that it's a bad thing, as Hachiman now sits closer to Saika! Nevertheless, Hachiman's senses now divided into two, unable to focus on either side. The line between hell and heaven remains thin!

...

"GWAHHHHHHHAHAHAHAHA!"

"NOOO!"

"KYAAAAHHHH!""

"WOAH MAMA!"

Hachiman's jaw dropped when a subtle jump-scare legitimately shocked him, but more than that, there's also Saika who looked absolutely THRILLED even as he screamed his lungs out.

Even when he looked halfway between psychotic and terrified, Totsuka Saika looked almighty cute!

However, Hachiman's attention was split again when he felt the strange squishy creature beside him literally shaking.

He looked aside to see Yuigahama's eyes shine bright.

Hachiman knew that's the sign of Trans-phase power activation.

"Oi, oi, oi, calm the hell down!" Hachiman said to her.

Then he noticed Zaimokuza assumed a buddha sitting position as he floats. His face serious, as he paid perfect attention to the screen. Meanwhile, Kawasaki figuratively froze while upside down.

Hachiman yanked both Zaimokuza and Kawasaki back to the sofa before he patted Yuigahama on her shoulder and head to calm her down.

This much should be fine, right?

Hachiman looked at Yuigahama, who proverbially began steaming in response to her increasing body temperature.

_Sweet Buddha, I did not deserve this... in more ways than one. _Hachiman prayed. _Please come back, Hachiman!_

Meanwhile, Sagami turned half-psychotic, and half-terrified just like Saika, as their collective scream turned into harmony, and they hugged each other.

Hugged each other.

_Eh._

_How._

"Ano, Sai-"

"It's the time!" Zaimokuza declared while Kawasaki woke up, or rather, regained consciousness.

"Liz, what?!"

Ah, it's time for the climactic moment. Hachiman was too distracted with the people he's watching with. Hachiman was clueless about the plot or characters of the movie itself.

"That was interesting! Hmm!" Zaimokuza said. "What about you, Hachiman?!"

"Can't say I get the appeal..." Hachiman said truthfully.

"Hmm, hmm. Kawasaki-dono even fell asleep."

Right. Asleep.

"Well. These films always have the same ending anyway." Kawasaki looked away bashfully. That was a bit cute, at least for her standard.

"Looks like she's not the only one." Saika looked aside and noticed the Yuigahama, who was all too comfortable as she fell asleep in Hachiman's pseudo-embrace.

"To be honest, it was interesting..." Sagami commented. "But, it doesn't appeal to girls well."

Hachiman tried to dissect whether it was empty talk, but she wasn't lying at all.

"I see..." Saika said, somewhat disappointed that he was the only one who enjoyed the movie in full. Despite this, he regained his smile relatively quickly. "Still, Watching together like this is fun on its own."

"Next time, let's just go to the cinema together." Hachiman smiled. "Let's move Yuigahama to somewhere more comfortable. I'll need help with the futon, though."

"Eh?" Kawasaki grimaced. "Just how far you two have gone."

"I mean the guest room." Hachiman blushed hard as he carried Yuigahama, bridal style. However, Sagami took a picture before he can go upstairs.

She'll send it to Yui later, for sure.

Hachiman returned and then opened the blast shutter, the code of which he obtained from his mother. Recently, he feels like he's talking a lot with her. Not that he didn't appreciate it...

Strangely, the blast shutter seems like the only digital lock in this house which doesn't have a biometric scanner.

"Yui-chan is pushing herself too hard. From the morning till afternoon, it's studying and training, then she either came here or hang out with other girls to play." Sagami explained. "Only around you, she seems able to relax, however."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Hachiman felt like he can not look away from her out of worry. He wondered if the old Hachiman also feel the same way.

"Sorry, I'll have to go back to take care of my sister." Kawasaki waved her hand.

"Osu, as expected of Kawasaki-dono. Family and loved ones are the most important treasure in the world!" Zaimokuza declared.

"See you later, Kawasaki-san!" Saika waved happily.

"I'm also going home, take a bath, and then study!" Sagami said. "Can't let Yui leave me in the dust."

"My Bad, Kawasaki." Hachiman approached Kawasaki as she walked out of the house. "How's your little brother, Taishi?"

Hachiman was curious if Kawasaki Taishi still had a close friendship with Hachiman's sister, Komachi. So it's a chance to ask nicely.

"Well, he just awakened his Trans Phase power recently and is anxious due to his power instability." Kawasaki sighed. "He's a borderline case where measurement can't really pinpoint whether he's a D-rank or C-rank at the moment."

"Would it be simpler if he works hard and makes a breakthrough?"

"That would be true, but he had the mental strength of a wet blanket." Kawasaki shook her head. "Perhaps letting him settle down first would be wise."

Hachiman realized that TPE awakening isn't always a blessing, it could be a curse as well. Having such talent means you will have a railroad toward a career path that you may not even like.

Someone who remains in D-rank could easily continue being a civilian and forgot that they awakened a power in the first place, without carrying the burden of responsibility that comes with it.

D-rank TPE users are practically indistinguishable from the majority of people. They would show what essentially peak human physical abilities, and also improved cognitive function. As for combat abilities, however, the level of a D-ranker was minuscule.

Even when armed with an assault rifle, or a machinegun, a D-rank would have a hard time.

Monsters are shielded with their own TPE. D-ranker's tiny energy was barely enough to push through and inflict minimal wounds. In return, even low ranked monsters as Kobold can easily inflict mortal injuries.

A C-rank is when things get real. They would exhibit a consistent display of superhuman athleticism, endurance, and even durability. They can overcome monsters' TPE shield at rough parity, with their weapons inflicting damage as they should.

Due to their power, C-rankers most definitely have a lucrative career in law enforcement and security jobs. If not, search and rescue.

And of course, there are the outliers... such as everyone standing around Hachiman at the moment.

"Well, he had all the summer vacation to figure!" Hachiman said, resigned. This is a very complicated topic that can decide a kid's future.

"If you need to talk... just come to us. The brother of my comrade is also my comrade!" Zaimokuza pointed his thumbs up. "This sword general, with his infinite wisdom, will surely serve him some good advice."

"I'll keep that in mind, Zai. See you in the training field tomorrow." Kawasaki smiled slightly before revved her motorcycle and left.

Hachiman looked at him in disgust. "Smooth shit, dude."

"Hmm? What is it, my loyal retainer?" Zaimokuza asked innocently.

"Don't forget your promise later." Sagami also left after saying that to Saika.

"Alright!"

"Hmm, what promise?"

"Well, she said she had promo tickets to go to the new waterpark. We plan to go there the day after tomorrow." Saika said with a smile. "I wish we all can go together."

_That's a date._

_That's a date. Damnit Sagami, what the fuck._

Wait. Could it be that in this world, girls are more romantically aggressive by default? Hachiman tried to imagine, a romantically aggressive Yukinoshita... And it was absolutely terrifying.

Hachiman was absolutely concerned about this whole business, and he wondered if he needed to intervene somehow. Still, he just arrived in this world, and it would be unfair to do that.

"Saika, what do you think of Sagami?"

"Umm, well, it's hard to say..." Saika stiffened a bit. "I think she's easily misunderstood by people, and interesting person."

Eh?

"Really?"

"Yeah!" Saika said enthusiastically. "Ever since Yuigahama-san reached A-rank, Sagami-san also become more friendly and approachable."

Isn't that more like going with the flow? Sagami pretending to be a good girl because she's surrounded by good people? Hachiman honestly can't think of anything about Sagami of the previous world, either.

This girl is too much of an enigma. But he also doesn't want to infringe Saika's right to privacy.

"Hey, wanna hear a secret?" Hachiman smiled.

"Hmmm?"

"I'm actually..."


	5. Chapter 5

"What secret?" Saika asked.

"Let's wait for Yuigahama to wake up."

Hachiman's face was unusually mischievous, which made both Saika and Zaimokuza even more curious. Nevertheless, they yielded. The three of them ended up playing games for two hours before they heard Yuigahama's panicked reaction when she woke up on a futon.

"Sorry! I fell asleep!" Yui apologetically said.

Because she panicked, her hair all lifted up from excess power leaking.

"Mmm, that's fine. You must be tired!" Saika kindly waved his hand.

"That's right!" Zaimokuza said. "Hachiman said he wanted to tell us something important, so please join us!"

"I'll go and wash my face." Yui scrambled to the bathroom hurriedly. "Ah my hair!"

Hachiman watched her leaving in silence and was quiet for a moment, before he finally spoke.

"Zaimokuza, Saika... do you ever heard of Stephen Hawking?"

"Of course, Dr. Hawking was the leading role in TPE research!" Saika said. "His importance to humanity's survival cannot be understated."

"Do you know the theory of eternal inflation and development of multiverse?" Hachiman asked.

Hachiman legitimately read it in a book a few days ago when he went to revisit the homework and retrace references into the real sources. It all felt like some scifi horseshit, but Hachiman managed to find the references and even bought some e-books.

They were all legitimate.

"Uhh, can't say this honorable me remember well, but the original hypothesis was the multiverse was composed of an infinite amount of smaller universe, each radically different from each other." Zaimokuza hummed, clearly strained his brain.

"According to the old multiversal hypothesis, the collision or partial merging of two radically universes allowed for inconsistencies to crop up. And Trans Phase Energy was one of the results." Saika completed it for him. "Likewise, monsters would be incapable of living in our universe without TPE, similar to how euryhaline species live in brackish water."

"But Hawking disagreed, he and Hertog worked together on their last paper that challenges such view and proposes the existence of multiverses with extreme similarities with each other..." Hachiman said. "Right before Hawking's untimely death."

Ten days before Stephen Hawking's death in 2018, the paper got published in the Journal of High Energy Physics.

"In other words, multiverses where not only laws of physics are the same, but they also have the same set of galaxies and even planets." Hachiman said, "And even the same people inside."

"However, in that case, it would mean the universe follows a predetermined path, where everyone that should be born will be born." Yui suddenly interrupted when she came back from washing her face. "Is this part of the intelligent design philosophy that many religions adopted to reconcile with rapid changes in modern science?"

"Not necessarily, no..." Hachiman said. "Accounting to Hawking-Hertog's theory, just because two universes generally the same doesn't mean they're identical."

"I've heard that before." Saika nodded. "Like, for example, earth ruled by dinosaurs and their offshoots rather than mammals."

"However, if we measure the multiverse from the anthropocentric point of view, the universe where I wasn't born in doesn't matter to me, and the universe where you weren't born doesn't matter to you." Hachiman grinned. "It's all a matter of perception, no?"

Yui sharpened her eyes.

"In other words, the old infinite inflation theory and new Hawking-Hertog paper do not necessarily contradict each other. Two universes with a lot of similarities will always be closer and relevant to each other than two universes with an extremely radical difference." Yui remarked.

"So lets narrow it a little bit to something more imaginable!" Hachiman said. "Can you imagine a universe similar to us, with all of us born in it, but monsters never show up on earth?"

"There would be a lot of difference, a whole lot..." Yui told him with saddened eyes. "Because a lot can change in decades."

"Yes." Hachiman finalized. "And I came from such universes."

"EHHHHHHH?!"

While Saika and Zaimokuza were shocked, Yui was not. Instead, she showed up a sorrowful face.

"You knew all along, Yuigahama." Hachiman sighed, partly relieved, yet a lingering pain in his chest remained.

"I noticed!" Yui said. "I noticed when Hikki came to school, and not only he didn't refuse my invitation for knife sparring, but he also practiced Judo with other students. The other Hikki will never do it."

"EHHHHHHHH?!" Zaimokuza and Saika once again shouted.

"I have the feeling that was the case." Hachiman closed his eyes painfully. "The old Hachiman was good with knives, and yet there was not a single knife in my arsenal."

Hachiman also feel that while he's inferior to other students, he had strong basic in Martial arts, especially grappling. It was ingrained subconsciously in his hind brain, something that he inherited from the other Hachiman.

"Yuigahama-dono..." Zaimokuza winced. "Was that also the reason why you gave him Grad Knives too?"

"Yes." Yui nodded, with a resigned face. "The moment I saw Hikki happily took them, the moment I was convinced that they were different people."

"Ah, I also remember!" Saika said. "Hachiman has an irrational dislike of revolvers!"

It seems that the fact just dawned on him now, while Zaimokuza realized it beforehand. Not only took it with a smile but also have every intention to use them, Saika and Zaimokuza felt odd. The old Hikigaya Hachiman was contemptuous of revolver actions. And what's exactly inside Grad knives? .22 inch revolver!

"This is the video recording made of my old memories." Hachiman raised a DVD. "This is made with my memories, augmented by Hoshina-sensei's special abilities. I..."

Hachiman gulped and continued. "The three of you, I believe you deserved to know about it the most because otherwise, it's unfair. For you, for me, and the other Hachiman."

Hachiman was simply not close enough to everyone else, that even as he is now, they would never notice.

"I believe it." Zaimokuza grinned. "I mean, these monsters came from another dimension after all."

No more words need to be said. For someone as Zaimokuza, the existence of dimensional travelers were something he always wished to be true.

Saika held Hachiman's hand gently. "While I'm curious and still can't believe it, your memories are something you want to keep in private, right?"

Though Saika always been innocent and kind, he's not dumb. He noticed Hachiman's change of attitude and behavior the moment they meet today. He brushed it off as Hachiman having a bad day and even worse mood.

"I know that, even after you watch it, it's hard to believe..." Hachiman said. "Call me deluded or amnesiac, but I'm doing it out of my own will."

"Let's watch it, everyone." Yui smiled. "It must be hard for Hikki to tell us this in the first place."

Saika cringed for a bit, shortly before he agreed. "Fine!"

It's ironic and sad, but among the three, Saika seems to be the one who found it harder to believe or accept. Perhaps it was a sign of how strong their friendship was... or how fragile their bonds were.

Hachiman don't want to think too hard about it at the moment.

...

And so, they went to watch it. The entire thing shot from Hachiman's point of view, narrated by his voice.

The first memory started with Hachiman as he entered the service club room for the first time, with Hiratsuka-sensei in front of him. There, he met with her... Yukinoshita Yukino.

"Wait, hold on! Yukinoshita-san?" Pink-haired Yui asked. "You're close to her?"

"Becoming acquaintances would be the correct term. After that, the two of us were forced to become club mates. And then, well..." Hachiman hesitantly looked away.

The next scene happened with an orange-brown haired Yuigahama quietly and sneakily entered the room. The camera, unsurprisingly, placed emphasis on scanning her appearance, especially the half-unbuttoned blouse.

The more conservatively dressed Pink Yui covered her chest. "You're checking on, uh, the other me, didn't you?"

"I don't understand you girls. You all dressed so flashy and revealing, and then bitch about people looking at the way you dressed." Hachiman snarled. "Like, seriously."

"That has nothing to do with anything!" Pink Yui smacked him on his shoulder. "And my breast shouldn't be THAT big!"

The Pink Yuigahama was well-stacked herself, but in comparison, the other world Yuigahama was obviously more well-endowed, and also had a more rounded face.

"Well, you know TPE usage burn excess fats efficiently and quickly!" Zaimokuza commented innocently, thanks to his personal experience.

Then realized what he just said comes off as vulgar. "...I have no excuse and won't defend myself, but I shall apologize for my unintentional rudeness."

Yui was a hair away from smacking him too, but she decided to let him go. Yui was well aware of how innocent and socially awkward, Zaimokuza can be.

Yukino helped Yuigahama by trying to teach her how to bake cookies. And it's only at this moment that Hachiman realized, at last, that cookie was supposed to be baked for him after all.

Watching his memory on the screen was embarrassing. It was clear that Yuigahama also had feelings for him in that universe, now that Hachiman can see it.

"So... Hikki will accept as long as it's handmade, huh?" Pink Yui looked at him gleefully.

_More like I have no heart and desperate to refuse. So please, don't give me your homemade cookies, until you learn how to do it well._

The next scene was when Hachiman entered the club room, and in a torrential gust of wind, scattered countless pieces of papers around the presence of a visibly overweight student wearing a brown coat.

Hachiman, Yukino, and Yui talked with Zaimokuza. Zaimokuza came to the service club to request them to review his work in progress light novel draft.

The currently thin Zaimokuza who watched remarked aloud. "HAH! Even in another world, this honorable Blademaster General is the same after all!"

"Well, yes, and it annoyed me so much." Hachiman gritted his teeth.

"HOW CRUEL!" Zaimokuza cried. "THE OTHER HACHIMAN ALWAYS BE HAPPY TO OBLIGE MY SELFISHNESS."

_Well, no shit, the other Hachiman is also a chuunibyou!_

The next scenes revealed how Hachiman gazed over Saika. A very slender Saika who wore a green jersey, which was Soubu Municipal High's second year PE uniform.

"_I'm a boy, though._" A slightly more feminine, and frail-looking Saika said with a blush on his face.

"I recalled a similar conversation, it happened in the first year, for sure." The current, barely more masculine but equally as cute Saika blushed a bit.

Pink Yui eyed him with a mix of jealousy and anger. "Hikki, you're super gross."

"Been a while since I heard that from Yuigahama, I'm going to shed tears of relief now." Hachiman sarcastically remarked.

But really, that was a relief. After all this time, Pink Yuigahama cling to him so desperately, having her badmouthing him was nostalgic. It feels like he's at home at last.

"To put it simply, well, we know each other in the other world too!" Hachiman said, though he desperately holds back from using the term friends.

That moment of peace, Hachiman understood very well, will be gone for a long while, perhaps forever.

"Me, as part of the Service Club, was there trying to help in my way." Hachiman finalized. "And through that club, I get to know you all."

"But if you came here, Hikki, what about the other..." Yui asked.

"Normally, when one transported to another world, there would be deaths involved the person who was transported, or the person who was transported into..." Hachiman told them. "However, in my case, and likely this world's Hachiman's case, neither of us show any sign of dying."

"This may sound too hopeful for my standard, but I hope that we just switched places... or rather, we switched our minds."

Indeed, Hachiman has no proof that it was indeed the case. However, for once, he sincerely discarded all sorts of rational, if paranoid thoughts.

"He's probably taking my place in the other universe..." Hachiman said with absolute confidence. "And it will be hilarious considering how different we are as a person."

A Chuunibyou Hikigaya Hachiman would be terrifying to imagine, in more ways than one. Hachiman had no doubt that his counterpart will treat his sister well. But his relationship with other students...

Of course, part of him felt a bit ill, because he doesn't feel as bad as the three people who clearly care about the other Hachiman as a person.

"Sorry..." Hachiman told them. "But I don't want to pretend to be him, and act like everything is fine and dandy."

Because above all else, Hachiman despised relationships built on a pretense. The misunderstanding between him and the other Yuigahama should never be repeated.

"What are you saying, Hachiman?" Saika chastised him. "You're the one who needed our help, aren't you?"

"That's right." Zaimokuza huffed. "Whether it's you or the other you across the different universe, you're still my comrade in arms!"

"Totsuka... Zaimokuza..."

"Hikki, you said you don't want to act like everything is fine and dandy. But you're the one who suffered the most, aren't you?"

As Yui said that, she gently brushed the tears from the corner of Hachiman's eyes. It was so subtle that Hachiman himself didn't realize that he was crying.

Ah right.

When the last time Hachiman ever cried?

* * *

**ヴァルハラロマンス ****\- ****不可解**  
**Valhalla Romance - Cryptical**

Original Story by: Watari Wataru  
Written by: ZeroXSEED

* * *

**Chapter 5 - And so, his peaceful, idyllic life is gone (Part 5)**

* * *

"Are you sure you're alright, Hikki?" Yuigahama asked for the last time when she was about to leave.

"I'm not certain, but I'll manage somehow..." Hachiman told her. "Don't worry about me."

"If there's anything we can help, don't hold back." Saika smiled. "We're friends, after all."

"You don't need to beg! Your wish is my calling, Hachiman!" Zaimokuza agreed.

"I just want to stop being the baggage. So I'll keep studying my ass off this entire summer and training at school." Hachiman said.

"I'll be there with you, I still have my promise with Komachi-chan, after all." Yui wrily smiled.

"We can't really help all that much when it comes to studying, but when it comes to training, we'll be there for you as well." Saika waved his hand. "See you later, Hachiman."

Hachiman watched as Zaimokuza and Saika left. They're good people, almost too good for him.

"Hikki, do you consider the other you as different?"

"He's much happier and confident about himself and the people surrounding him."

"Yeah, you know... Thinking about that again, I don't think that's really the case." Yui closed her eyes giddily. "The other Hikki might bluff and boast, but both of you aren't that different inside."

?

"You know? Both of you are always careful around new people, carrying a detached attitude to things around you, and exceedingly blunt yet at the same time sensitive..." Yui told him.

"Wha-"

"Ummm. When you got injured and exhausted in the battle for steel factory, it was because you helped the police forces, right?"

"It was a coincidence." Hachiman defied her. "There was a crowd in my line of fire, and they chased after me as retaliation. Simple as that."

Yui opened her eyes and poked his chest. "...Both of you consider yourself cowards, yet go to great lengths to help strangers, even hurting yourselves in the process. Both of you are allergic to praise and often demean yourselves as a response."

Hachiman had absolutely no argument against that.

"We've been only together for less than a week, but I think the two Hikki that I know aren't that different in the end..." Yui said. "The only difference is that the other Hikki always hide his wound behind a smile, while you always brush it off with an aloof attitude."

Ah.

So it was like that.

Just like Zaimokuza, this world's Hikigaya Hachiman also remains a chuunibyou to protect himself from emotional pain.

Both Hikigaya Hachiman, in the end, were both liars to the core, but the lies they presented were different. However, Yuigahama Yui can see through them with relative ease.

Even in this universe, Yuigahama Yui is a kindhearted, empathic, and hardworking girl. She also had a lot of insecurities and awkwardness, and also a crybaby. The same as the Yuigahama in another world.

"See you tomorrow." Yui tilted her head and smiled lovingly. "Hikki."

When Yui returned home, she was greeted by her mother. "I'm home!"

"Welcome home, Yui. How was the birthday surprise? Did he like it?"

Yuigahama Yui's mother was always youthful, too youthful, considering that whenever she forego her casual housewife getup, she looked more like an older sister than anything.

"Mmmh. He likes it very much." Yui nodded. "He said he'll use it in battle!"

Granted, the recipient, while technically the same people, weren't exactly the same person. Regardless, the somewhat expensive (for weapons that utilize only manmade materials) Grad Knives was intended for the current Hikigaya Hachiman anyway.

In all honesty, Yui was devastated when she learned how Hachiman 'changed', from both Hoshina and Hiratsuka-sensei. However, the more days they spent together, the more Yui realized...

Aside from their superficial attitude, they're not so different at all.

That's why Yui felt somewhat guilty.

I.B. called her when she just finished showering. "[Yo, lovebirds, how was the birthday party?]"

"It was fun, Hikki looked very shocked when a lot of people came!" Yui said. "He also told us his secret, I mean, I was there with Zai-kun and Sai-chan. You should have been there!"

"[Nah, this is something that I still want to adjust to...]" I.B. said with a hint of sadness. "[I'm still preparing the present for him.]"

"Sorry." Yui sighed.

As someone who had been the closest partner to Hachiman, I.B. probably took it the hardest.

In the distant past, Yuigahama used to be jealous of I.B.'s existence. However, the more they get to know each other, the more Yui felt that it was unwarranted.

For I.B., Hachiman is a biological father that she treated like a brother. If anything, Yuigahama is more jealous of Hiratsuka-sensei.

"[They're running the same software inside, so I'll manage somehow.]"

"I know. right?" Yui laughed.

"[So, what do you think? You can fall in love with that kind of Hachiman too?]" I.B. asked her.

"Well... the Yuigahama Yui from his world also had a crush on him, but..." Yui took a deep breath. "I don't want to show myself as a fickle woman."

Yuigahama Yui felt that... for her to fall in love with the new Hachiman might not be a matter of if, it would be a matter of when.

However, she wanted to treasure her feelings to the other Hachiman and hold onto it as long as her heart allowed it.

...

_The day after Hachiman's Birthday, Soubu High training area._

Hachiman stepped out of the changing room and stepped into the training field. Yui, Saika, Zaimokuza, and I.B. were waiting for him.

"Hey, Hikki, I've prepared those guns for you!" Yui said as she presented a table covered with guns and magazines. "They're specifically modified to fire marker rounds, which is similar to paintball but more realistic."

"Ah, really? Thanks." Hachiman said. "I guess I should unload my pocket space first."

Cue Hachiman dropping out a mountain of weapons.

"Hikki, what the heck? Why do you bring so many to school?!" Yui screamed in shock.

"Why not? it's practical." Hachiman pointed. "Better to have an umbrella with you, even if it's not raining."

I.B. smacked his head. "Dumbass! Pocket space is a net drain to your TPE, and the more you store inside, the heavier it is for your brain!"

That almost certainly explains why Hachiman was so feverish when he came to this world the first time. Plus, the constant mild headache...

Old Hachiman brought more guns than his mind can handle. And the current Hachiman, being paranoid he was, added even more...

Hachiman at first thought that he could pull off a Batman by making sure he had the right tools for every occasion, however, it was clear that even his pocket space had a soft limit that becomes a mental burden the more it's filled up.

"Eh? I'll get to that, somehow."

Hachiman felt relieved after he unloaded his personal armory, though. So maybe they're right. So Hachiman decided to put as many guns as he needed, rather than everything.

The knives that Yuigahama gave, Hachiman decided to keep them. Instead, they were loaded not with marker rounds, but rather, wax rounds.

Wax rounds disintegrate quickly in the air, which makes them perfect for basic firearm training in relatively confined space under 10 meters.

"I'll be your opponent for today's training!" Saika said as he held a shinai (aka Kendo stick). "Since I'm using a Shinai, I won't hold back."

"Ah." Hachiman wasn't sure that he had the heart to shoot at Saika, even using less-lethal rounds.

However, the next part was when things get interesting. It was the reason why Saika said he won't hold back.

Saika's body began to glow, and dozens upon dozens of Saika's half-size clones popped out of thin air. They're not solid, halfway between sci-fi hologram and ghostly presence.

"This is... ESP projection?"

"Correct." Saika nodded. "My unique ability is Soul projection. We're going to simulate Kobolds using them."

"I see."

Hachiman and Saika's clones started within the distance of twenty meters from each other, which was relatively short if one considered the speed they're fighting at.

"Though Totsuka had long legs, his half-size clones would have reduced stride length. In other words, they're faster than Kobolds, but not by much." Hachiman mumbled. "Then..."

He pulled a training submachinegun out of his pocket space, around the same time Saika clones started running toward him.

"[Hikki! Remember to strafe and keep kiting!]" Yui told him through the radio contact. "[The Kobolds are smart enough to never stay in a large group, and will always try to surround an opponent from all directions. Use the gaps within their swarm to maneuver!]"

Easier said than done.

Hachiman charged forth guns blazing and greeted by dozens of half-sized Totsuka clones brandishing a full-size Shinai.

Indeed, 10 minutes later, Hachiman was pummeled to the ground.

"Dude, are you alright?" I.B. poked him with fallen sticks.

"This is going to be hard." Hachiman raised his face, which made a print on the soil under him.

"Well, no shit. Just how long do you think most of us trained?" I.B. laughed. "It'll take at least two or three months for you to catch up."

"I'm sorry, that was a little hard on you huh?" Saika apologized.

"Nah, I'm going to start with the basic next week!" Hachiman said cheerfully. "Gotta go and join the boot camp!"

He doesn't want to make Saika sad, still, it was a really pathetic showing.

Hikigaya Hachiman was sure that most Isekai power fantasy isn't supposed to be this hard to protagonist... he wondered what does the Hachiman on the other side of the world was thinking?


End file.
